Changing Faces
by mccpcorn
Summary: Ryoko intervenes in Washu's latest attempt to get a 'sample' from Tenchi - with bizarre results. This story is now finished!! I hope anyone who reads it enjoys it! R&R are accepted and welcome!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. All credit goes to those creative geniuses behind the Tenchi Multiverses, and to those responsible for distributing it. Please accept my humble accolade to this show's brilliance.  
  
Acknowledgements: Thanx to everyone at AnimeFlash.org and Anime-Storm.net for their creative support and influence! Special thanx in no particular order go to Vindice, Kamidake53, NightOwl, Vicious, SSJValmar and Zyraen. ^_^  
  
NOTE: This story will contain rough language in places, and some limey elements, so if you're not comfortable with that sort of stuff, consider yourself informed!  
  
Another Note: This story is based purely in the OVA version of the series, with the one exception that it contains Kiyone. Why? Because I'm a mad Kiyone fan, that's why!!!  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
PROLOGUE  
========  
  
Ryoko's eyes snapped open.  
  
The Space Pirate's gaze slid down from the perch she occupied, the rafters in the Masaki household's living room. Her eyes, glowing like a pair of softly burning green embers, came to rest upon the wall clock. It said 3 am. It was dark outside; all was peaceful.  
  
And yet, somehow, instinctively, Ryoko knew something very bad was about to happen.  
  
* * *  
  
'No, no, NO!!' Tenchi yelled. 'How many times do I have to tell you?!'  
  
'Oh come onnnn.' Washu's eyes stared imploringly. 'One little sample. Just one eeny-weeny, teeny-tiny sample. That's not too much to ask, is it?' She nuzzled close to Tenchi. 'Pleeeze?'  
  
Tenchi flushed and pushed her away. 'NO! N - O! Absolutely not!' He turned to leave. 'I can't believe you got me out of bed for this! I have school in the morning you know, Washu!'  
  
'Actually,' Washu called from behind him, 'The timing is exactly why I did ask you down here.'  
  
Tenchi glanced back at Washu for a split second, caught a mischievious grin, then bolted for the door.  
  
He never made it. Even as he took the first step, powerful cables lanced out of nowhere to lift him off the ground. He reacted instinctively, throwing his arms out for balance, only to have them caught in the same gentle but insistant grip.  
  
'WAASSSHHHUUUUUU!!!!!'  
  
'Oh yes,' Washu gave a playful cackle. 'You can scream all you want tonight, Tenchi darling. Everyone's out like a light.' Washu's grin turned playfully wicked. 'We're not going to have any unwanted guests this time.'  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko shivered.  
  
There was no doubt about it, now. Something was very, very wrong.   
  
But what?   
  
She looked around the living room; everything was in its place - nothing seemed out of the ordinary.   
  
Ryoko could feel her body breaking out in a cold sweat; her heart raced; her fists were clenched.   
  
She normally had very good instincts, but it was different this time. They made her wary, but never afraid. She was Ryoko, after all. The most powerful, most fearsome felon in the galaxy! The greatest space pirate ever!   
  
And here she was, fighting to keep her legs from trembling!  
  
* * *  
  
'Well, what do you think?' Washu asked.  
  
'I'm ecstatic,' Tenchi replied without enthusiasm  
  
'Ah, don't be such a killjoy!' Washu's eyes sparkled. 'You'll like this, I promise! Trust me!'  
  
'Oh yeah,' Tenchi ground out sarcastically, thrashing around uselessly. 'Implicately.' He yawned. 'I want to go back to bed.'  
  
'Don't worry,' Washu replied as she plugged him into the chamber. 'This wont take long!' She giggled manically.  
  
Having nothing else to do, Tenchi looked around the chamber. It was like being inside a glass jar, or a goldfish bowl. The top of the bell jar had various assortments of equipment jutting from it. There was an identical chamber on his left; he could just see it over the top of the large main console that lay between them. 'What is this thing anyway?' he demanded.  
  
'This is my new Personality Transference Transceiver!' Wahsu announced theatrically. 'With this device I can remove a personality maxtix from its organic storage mechanism -'  
  
'A wha-?'  
  
'A BRAIN Tenchi, a BRAIN,' Washu clarified with the smugness characteristic of the universe's greatest scientific genius. 'With this device I can remove, duplicate, and transfer a personality! Their memories, their whole life experience! Everything that makes a person what they are!'  
  
Tenchi's eyes became saucers. 'Uh... remove... ?'  
  
Washu winked. 'That's right!' Washu looked at Tenchi with sweet eyes, spoke in a dark, sultry voice. 'You see, darling Tenchi, I would never, ever force you to do something you didn't want to do.'  
  
Tenchi struggled pathetically within his bonds. 'Yeah, sure.'  
  
'And this machine means I don't have too!!' Washu acted as though she hadn't heard him. 'You see, for a short while I shall place your personality in another vessel for safe keeping. During this time, I will temporarily occupy your body - just long enough -' Wahsu's eyes shone '- to collect all the data I need. Then, that's it!' she held her hands aloft. 'Mission accomplished!'  
  
'You've GOT to be kidding,' groaned Tenchi.  
  
'What's the matter?' Washu suddenly looked at Tenchi with genuine concern. 'You said you didn't want to - I can accept that. This way you don't have to, and I still get my data.' She smiled girlishly. 'Everyone's happy!!'  
  
'Look, you can't just USE my body like this!' Tenchi snapped. 'It's MINE! I mean, where the hell will MY personality be during all of this?! I will NOT be stored on a laser disc!!'  
  
'Don't be absurd!' Washu smiled. 'I'd never do something like that! In fact -' Washu regarded Tenchi through heavy lidded eyes '- your personality will be in MY body.'  
  
Tenchi stopped short, mid flounder. 'Uh... what did you just say?'  
  
'I said, your personality will be in my body.' Washu tapped her head with a finger. 'Safest place really. You should be honoured. I don't share my body with just any man!' Washu smiled seductively. 'Think of it as love-making by remote.'  
  
Tenchi's eyes saucered again. 'I really, REALLY don't want this...'  
  
* * *  
  
Now Ryoko was angry.   
  
This feeling is so damn nebulous, she thought. I mean, who or what could I be afraid of - ?  
  
Ryoko broke off mid thought. He eyes went wide with a sudden awareness.   
  
No.   
  
No, of course she wasn't afraid for herself! She was afraid for someone ELSE!   
  
And there was only one person she cared about enough to feel this afraid for.  
  
Cursing herself for not figuring it out sooner, Ryoko teleported herself to Tenchi's bedroom.  
  
* * *  
  
'Washu, this is insane,' Tenchi tried again. 'How can you operate this machine when you'll be in the other chamber??'  
  
Washu finished making some final adjustements. 'It's all pre-set, Tenchi,' she replied with quiet pride. 'The whole thing activates the moment I shut the door on my chamber.'  
  
'But - but how are you going to... use my body when it's trussed up like this!?' Tenchi thrashed around in the cables.  
  
'Oh, that's easy!' Washu answered. 'All you have to do is punch this yellow button,' she indicated on the console, 'and, viola! You'll - I'll be free!'  
  
'Uh... me...?'  
  
'Well, I'm not going to be able to push it, am I?' Washu smiled. 'You see, once you're in my body, you have a vested interest in getting back into your own. As I'm the only one who can reverse the process, I figure you'll be more co-operative from here on in.'  
  
* * *  
  
Tenchi wasn't in his bedroom.  
  
Ryoko struggled to fight down the growing sense of panic within her. If he wasn't here, then where the hell...?  
  
Everyone else was where they should be; she'd made sure to check. Ryoko had become so agitated she'd even tried to wake Ayeka, but the Prissy Princess had been completely out of it. Whoever it was was only interested in Tenchi.  
  
Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It's as if he'd got up to go to the bathroom and just vanished along the way.   
  
The fact that he could get up at all after that sake Wahsu had produced was incredible enough, but then again he'd only had a few sips. He'd pretty much left the rest of the gang to knock it back, 'cept Sasami -  
  
Sake.  
  
Everyone had had some, even Tenchi, though not much.   
  
The sake.... Washu had plied them all with.   
  
Everyone except Tenchi, who didn't drink very much.  
  
And now everyone was out like a light... except Tenchi. And maybe...?  
  
Ryoko swore. 'WASHU!' she shouted, teleporting down to the   
hall. 'WASHHUU!! GODDAMN YOU!!!'  
  
* * *  
  
It was so ODD, Tenchi wondered to himself. Washu was, in her own way, showing him a great deal of trust and respect. Okay, she might - would - use his body. On the other hand, HE would be in HER body, following her instructions to release her and reverse the process. In a way he marvelled at her.  
  
But he still wanted to get the hell out of this chamber!!!  
  
'Oh well, then,' Washu announced. 'Looks like we're all set!'  
  
'I can't BELIEVE this...' Tenchi groaned.  
  
'Lighten up willya!' Washu said cheerfully as she opened the hatch of her chamber. 'After I get my sample, everything's back to normal.' She paused for a moment.   
  
The moment stretched...  
  
... stretched to a considerable number of seconds....  
  
'Uh.... Washu...?'  
  
Washu's only response was to silently mouth the word 'No.'  
  
A split-second later, the door to the lab splintered into fragments.  
  
'WASHU!' The voice was thunderous; through the smoke and haze a pair of green eyes gleamed and smouldered, like a dragon's.  
  
Tenchi never, ever, in all his wildest dreams and fantasies - and he'd had some of THOSE since six alien women dropped out of the sky into his lap - thought he would ever be so pleased to see Ryoko.  
  
Washu smiled nervously. 'Ha... heh. Hi, Ryoko.'  
  
'Why, good evening, Washu,' the Space Pirate replied with mock sweetness. 'And what might you be doing up so late? And with Tenchi,too?'  
  
'Ah... that,' Washu sighed. 'Well, uh, we're kinda busy so if you'll just shoo away-'  
  
Ryoko gave a mirthless grin. Stretching out her arm, the space pirate began gathering a photon blast in the palm of her hand.  
  
Washu yelped. 'No! Don't do that!!'  
  
'Aw, mommy,' Ryoko replied with mock sweetness. 'You could've just asked if you wanted to be alone with Tenchi - or given us all some Yen and sent us to the pictures.' She chuckled. 'But no. you had to ply us all with your home-made booze. Y'know I'm amazed Ayeka hasn't been hospitalised.' The space pirate's voice was suddenly as clear and sharp as cut crystal. 'But I guess MY liver's a lot tougher than you give it credit for.' She looked around. 'So you we're going to steal Tenchi's body -,'  
  
'BORROW!!'  
  
'Whatever. You we're going to stick your mind in his brain, grab a quick hand-shandy, then march off triumphantly with that sample you've been twittering on about ever since you got here.' Ryoko's eyes narrowed. 'Right?'  
  
Washu scowled. 'Ryoko! How could you think such a thing about your mother?'  
  
'Well it's true, isn't it?' Ryoko gave her a smug grin.  
  
'That's not the point!!' Washu snapped. She scowled again. 'How'd you know?'  
  
A triumphant look came into Ryoko's face. 'I've learned that the contact we share works both ways,' she answered. 'I've been practising on picking up your emotions.' Ryoko folded her arms. 'Besides that, I was listening outside the door for the past five-minutes.'  
  
Washu gave another nervous laugh. 'Well, uh - hey, I know! I could use some help here!' Washu smiled brightly. 'I mean there's enough for two, right?'  
  
Ryoko raised her right hand and sent a plasma ball crackling into a unit atop the main console. The sizzling explosion knocked Washu off her feet. Clutching at her hair, Washu was bounced into the far corner of the lab. 'WAAAHHH!!!'  
  
'No-one steals anything from MY Tenchi,' Ryoko announced archly. 'Except ME.'  
  
Washu groaned and staggered to her knees. 'You could get the sample foor meee... if you lyyykkee,' she said in a dazed voice.  
  
A thunderous crackle of energy quickly sobered the scientist, and she stared in horror at the crippled machine. She quickly staggered over the the damaged device.  
  
'No! You've damaged the shielding! The mind-mapping matrix is loose!' She ran her hands swiftly over the keyboard seeking diagnostics and damage assessments. 'You IDIOT Ryoko! The circuit's been closed and acitvated! We've got about twelve seconds before the system overloads!'  
  
'Tenchi, with Ryoko's help, struggled free of the cables. 'Twelve SECONDS!?'  
  
'I put the timer on a short fuse,' Washu explained frantically. 'I wasn't expecting anything like this. Shit!' she thumped the console. 'You've corrupted the program!'  
  
'But what does that MEAN?' Ryoko demanded. Eight seconds to go.  
  
'The defined parameters have been changed,' Washu snapped. 'With the shielding down everyone in the whole house is at risk! The machine will try to copy the personality of EVERYBODY within range. But there isn't enough memory space to hold all that information!' Her eyes became hard. 'I'll have to activate the emergency dump program.'  
  
'What'll that do?' Tenchi asked nervously. There were less than four seconds to go and Tenchi was most definitely NOT a happy camper.  
  
'The computer will use the on-board memory for temporary storage whilst it transfers the data to a new location. Probably another person as only our own brains have the necessary storage capacity.'  
  
'TALK CLEARLY DAMMIT!!!'  
  
Washu's eyes bored into her daugter 'Our personalities are about to undergo a change of address.'  
  
Ryoko's mouth fell open. 'No way NO WAY!! I am NOT having my mind in someone else's body!'  
  
'Yeah, well the alternative is having your entire mind wiped clean!'  
  
'I'll tell you one more time -!'  
  
....zero.  
  
With a sick thrumming sound, the machine activated.  
  
* * *  
Around the Masaki household, five people awoke at the sudden, insistant pressure at the back of their minds. The pressure quickly grew into a roaring torrent, sweeping them away and out...   
  
Seven people screamed.  
  
-----  
  
END OF THE PROLOGUE  
  
Endnote: Well I hope any of you who stuck it out this far are intrigued enough to carry on when I post up Chapter 1 proper! Any comments you may like to make can be sent to mccpcorn@hotmail.com  
  
Cya at Chapter 1!!! ^_^ 


	2. Who's That Girl?

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. All credit goes to that creative genius Masaki Kajishima for the existence of Tenchi and its multiverses, and to those nice people over at AIC and Pioneer for distributing it. Please don't sue me because it will be about as much use as an umbrella to a duck. ^^;;  
  
Note: there is some occasional rough language in this chapter; further chapters may contain limey elements, so read at your own risk!  
  
Reviews are welcome! If you have any comments that you would like to share, you can contact me at mccpcorn@hotmail.com.  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER 1: Who's That Girl? (And who the Heck is Tenchi?)  
=========================================================  
  
Tenchi groaned and opened his eyes. His vision was blurred; he found it difficult to focus. There was a ringing in his ears, like a fading roar. The inside of his eyes ached, but at least he wasn't sore all over.  
  
He tried to prop himself up on his elbows, but found the shapes and shadows spinning drunkedly around him; his sense of balance was completely screwed.  
  
Closing his eyes, Tenchi took several deep, steady breaths. Bright, neon coloured spots were painted on the darkness of his eyelids. The ghostly blobs danced in front of his vision, but gradually Tenchi felt the sense of queasiness lessen. After a moment he was able to get to his hands and knees. Not too sore, he thought to himself. And still in one piece ...  
  
It was only then, as he gained his equilibrium, that Tenchi realised there was something very, VERY wrong.  
  
* * *  
  
Ayeka struggled up to a sitting position; she felt as if lead weights had been hung over her shoulders.   
  
Urgh! she thought to herself. What in Jurai is going on?? What am I doing here is Washu's lab? I was in bed...  
  
Across from Ayeka, Kiyone flopped onto her hands and knees. 'What the heck happened just now...?' To her left came an agonised groan followed by a sniffle.  
  
'Owww.... Kiyone...? Wheerre arrree youu...?'  
  
* * *  
  
Sasami clutched at her head. 'Ahhh!! My head hurts!' She pulled the taut bandana from her head - where had THAT come from? - then suddenly recoiled with surprise at the dark figure skulking next to her.   
  
'Mihoshe! You - you scared me! What are you doing in our room at this time of night?'  
  
Tenchi moaned.  
  
* * *  
  
Washu was also clutching at her head.   
  
'Ow! Ow, ow OWWW!! That hurrttzz...'  
  
'Sounds like someone can't take their sake,' a high-pitched voice said sarcastically from next to her. 'Or should that be someone can't take someone ELSE'S sake?' Ryoko paused a moment and put her arms out in front of her.  
  
'Oh. Oh no. OH SHI-'  
  
Awarness dawned on seven people at more or less the same moment. For that moment, all were united in one cause.  
  
'AAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!'  
  
* * *  
  
'Washu, you maniac!!' Mihoshe yelled.  
  
'Really, this is most unforgivable,' Washu sniffed.  
  
'It's some crap, I'll give you that,' agreed Sasami.  
  
'Is it okay for me to cook dinner like this?' asked Kiyone.  
  
'Oohh,' stated Ryoko as she stared wide-eyed at her hands.  
  
'Ohh gaaahhhd,' moaned Tenchi.  
  
Ayeka's eyes narrowed. 'Hmm,' she said thoughtfully. 'I had no idea that the personality displacement field had this kind of range. Maybe I should've beefed up the shielding a bit more.'  
  
'A bit more!?' Washu - or at least Washu's body - gaped incredulously. 'What on Jurai possessed you to build that - that thing in the first place??' she waved her arm helplessly in the direction of Washu's latest invention.  
  
Sasami eyed Ayeka sarcastically. 'Do you wanna tell her, or should I?'  
  
Aeyka clutched at her head. 'For the pity's sake, do you HAVE to be so loud?' she whimpered.  
  
'Yeah, sis,' Kiyone sniffed. 'Keep it down willya?'  
  
Ayeka shrugged. 'Look, I was hoping to use this machine to study how a person's mind and personalitiy adapted to unexpected or stressful situations. Rather than create a potentially dangerous environment, I figured it would be easier and safer to alter the perceptual parameters of a given subject.'  
  
'Oh well that is so much clearer,' Tenchi folded his arms. 'Not!'  
  
'You don't think our environment isn't stressfull enough!?' Mihoshe clenched her fists.  
  
'You missed out the bit about wanting to steal Tenchi's body,' Sasami put in helpfully.  
  
Aeyka snarled. 'Look, I was going to BORROW his body and get some test data on my machine. This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't crippled it!!'  
  
'I need the bathroom,' whimpered Kiyone, clutching her head again.  
  
Ryoko stood cross-legged. 'Me, too,' she moaned.  
  
Ayeka tried to placate the group. 'Look, look, I admit things haven't gone according to plan but,' Ayeka grinned. 'What an opportunity!! Think, you guys! What a science paper this would make! We have to adapt to the ultimate in environments - a whole different body!'  
  
Sasami pushed her way to the front of the group. 'Now you listen here, MOM,' she snarled. 'If you don't get me back in my body RIGHT NOW I will gouge out your eyes and feed them to Ryo-Ohki!'  
  
'Miyaa!' Ryo-Ohki made a disgusted face.  
  
'You will not harm my beautiful features!' exclaimed Washu.  
  
Ayeka looked down at Sasami. 'Ryoko, am I right?'  
  
Sasami glared back. 'You betcha,' she bit out.  
  
Ayeka sighed. 'Okay. I guess we'd better find out who's who. Ayeka, I'm guessing that's you in my body, correct?'  
  
'Yes.'  
  
'And I figure that's you in Kiyone's body, Sasami?'  
  
Kiyone gave a quiet sigh. 'Yeah.'  
  
'And I know I have Ayeka's body. So that leaves - Kiyone?'  
  
'Affirmative,' Tenchi answered.  
  
There was a brittle silence, then Ryoko - in Sasami's body - burst into high pitched laughter.   
  
'It's not funny!!' Kiyone/Tenchi roared. She/He suddenly clamped their hand on their mouth, as if they hadn't realised how loud their voice could get.  
  
'Oh my! That just takes the carrot!!' Ryoko/Sasami's eyes were streaming. 'How 'bout that princess prissy? Kiyone got Tenchi ahead of both of us! What I wouldn't give to have THAT body.'  
  
'Don't say such things!' Ayeka snapped in Washu's voice.  
  
Ryoko/Sasami gave the Crown Princess a look that made the latter shudder. 'Oh come now princess,' she said in a cute, high voice that was laced with dark intent. 'You know as well as I do what we'd get up to if we had that body to play around with.' Large pink eyes glinted mischieviiously.  
  
Mihoshe stamped her foot. 'I will not be spoken about like I'm a piece of meat!!' she declared.  
  
Everyone turned to regard this rather forceful statement. 'Tenchi?' Washu/Ayeka asked hesitantly.  
  
Tenchi/Mihoshe put an arm behind his/her which tilted in that awkward/apologetic way that announced Tenchi Maskaki's presence. He/She smiled sheepishly. 'I - uh, guess so.'  
  
A quiet dread fell upon Washu. 'So that means that Mihoshe...'  
  
'Present!!' Ryoko called cheerfully as she stuck her arm in the air. There was a flash of light and before anyone could react a photon blast erupted from the outstretched hand and blasted a piece of machinery to rubble.  
  
'NOOOOOOO!!!' screamed Washu/Ayeka.  
  
'Put that hand down before someone gets hurt!' Kiyone/Tenchi snapped to her partner.  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko quickly withdrew her hand. 'Oops,' she giggled.  
  
'This is - not good,' Tenchi/Mihoshe stated.  
  
Washu was making a quick assessment of the damage. 'Damn damn, SHIT,' she muttered.  
  
Sasami glanced sidelong at Ayeka/Washu. 'Princess, really,' she chided with evil humour, 'language.'  
  
Ayeka/Washu blushed bright scarlet. 'That wasn't me!' she protested.  
  
Ryoko/Sasami looked over at Washu/Ayeka. 'Hey, Washu,' she called. 'Say the "F" word! I wanna hear princess prissy here say the "F" word!' She hopped up and down excitedly.  
  
'Don't Washu!!' Ayeka/Washu pleaded.  
  
Washu/Ayeka stood, shaking her head. 'This is no good,' she muttered. 'Mihoshe blasted the power coupling. It'll take hours to put right. But I guess it could've been worse.'  
  
The words were barely out of her mouth when there was a loud CRUNCH. With a dark sense of foreboding, Washu/Ayeka turned around. Her jaw fell open at seeing the large piece of debris that had just crashed from the ceiling to land squarely on the main console.  
  
'Noooo!!' she wailed.  
  
'Arrgghhh!!' wailed everyone else.  
  
'What?' asked Mihoshe/Ryoko.  
  
Washu hurried over. 'The main console!! Along with the program!! Oh Gahd, NO!'  
  
'Don't you have a spare!?' Kiyone/Tenchi demanded.  
  
'Of course! But the original programming is in this unit! I haven't even had time to assess what went wrong and now the program may have been damaged! On top of that I have to repair the power coupling!' She turned and gazed ominously at the others. 'We're looking at a day's worth of repairs.'  
  
A dark shroud of dread fell upon the group. Then everybody started talking - screaming at once.  
  
'NO WAY!'  
  
'I'm NOT staying in this body for a whole day!!!'  
  
'Washu, you CAN'T be serious!'  
  
'Is it alright for me to cook in this body, Kiyone?'  
  
'It's either that or we all starve.'  
  
'WOW! Space Pirate for a DAY!!'  
  
'ENOUGH!!!' bellowed Washu/Ayeka. At least the princess' voice carried well, the scientist thought as everyone snapped to attention.  
  
'I am NOT having you all kicking around here while I try to work,' Washu announced, her words sounding rather haughty in Ayeka's voice. 'Besides, I need to run tests to make sure the transference was stable and I can't do that with all these distractions.' Washu waved her hands in a gesture of dismissal. 'Go on, shoo! Scat!'  
  
'If you think I'm jus' gonna WALK out of here-' Ryoko began. She yelped as Washu/Ayeka stalked over to her and plucked her off the ground.  
  
'WHADDYA DOING!? Lemme GO!' Ryoko/Sasami screamed.  
  
'Washu, be careful!' Ayeka/Washu said nervously.  
  
The door under the stairs opened and Washu stepped out, carrying the struggling Ryoko in her arms, the others reluctantly in tow.   
  
'I thought Ryoko trashed this door?' Tenchi asked.  
  
'I have an unlimited supply of spares,' Washu explained.  
  
Marching into the living room, the scientist planted the space pirate on the floor. 'Now you stay here, CHILD,' Washu warned sternly. 'Or I will tan your hide so bad the only thing you'll be able to sit down on is a block of ice!'  
  
'Washu, no!' Sasami/Kiyone wailed.  
  
'Why YOU-!' Ryoko looked ready to physically launch herself at Washu until she felt restraining hands on her shoulders. She looked up to see Mihoshe - now Tenchi - and Kiyone/Tenchi. There were so many right-angled turns that whole situation was becoming almost too much for Ryoko to handle, but the sight of Tenchi, even only his body, was comfort enough for her and she subsided.  
  
'You're not thinking straight,' Tenchi told Ryoko, Mihoshe's voice sounded so reasonable it almost defied reality. 'You're almost acting like a child because you're in a child's body. You need to stay focused on who you are.'  
  
'I don't act like that, do I, Ayeka?' Sasami/Kiyone murmured to the princess.  
  
'Of course not,' Ayeka/Washu smiled gently as she looked up(!) at her little sister. 'But you're not a demon.'  
  
Through his hand, Tenchi/Mihoshe felt Ryoko's muscles tense at the comment. 'Ayeka!' he snapped. 'The situation is bad enough without you aggravating it. If you've got nothing useful to say, keep quiet!'  
  
Ayeka/Washu jerked like she'd been slapped. She flushed a bright red and Ryoko smiled smugly.  
  
Tenchi looked down at her. 'That goes for you too, Ryoko!'  
  
Ryoko/Sasami scowled, her triumph short lived.  
  
Washu folded her - Ayeka's - arms. 'Well, I guess that's settled,' she said. 'Come on, Kiyone.' The scientist turned back in the direction of the lab.  
  
Kiyone/Tenchi looked surprised. 'Uh... me?'  
  
Washu/Ayeka turned back with an impatient look. 'Well I can't fix this thing on my own - not if you wanna get this mess sorted before the end of the week, anyway.'  
  
'But I don't know anything about -'  
  
'You don't have to. Just put everything where I tell you. And hey, you guys!' Washu looked at the others. 'I'm locking the lab, so don't keep pestering me for how it's going. And try to look on the bright side!'  
  
'Oh yeah, sure,' Ryoko/Sasami crossed her arms and gave the scientist a disgusted look. 'And how cold things be any worse?'  
  
Washu/Ayeka gave a wicked smile. 'Well, at least Noboyuki wasn't here!'  
  
Even Tenchi turned pale at that remark.  
  
-----  
  
END OF CHAPTER 1  
  
Endnote: Well congrats to anyone who's made it this far! I hope you're enjoying yourself and that no-one is TOO confused about what the heck is going on. ^^;; 


	3. Just Another Day?

Here's the usual disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi or anything about it. It's the creative property of Masaki Kajishima and its distributers AIC and Pioneer. This story comes out of respect for this impressive anime show and if anyone wants to sue me for it then I can only assume you don't like free publicity! :D  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Usually called Ryoko/Sasami in the story)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone has found herself stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is getting drunk in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
On with the show...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER 2: Just Another Day...?  
===============================  
  
Mihoshe took another sip of her sake. She was all alone in the field beside the house. She lay on her stomach, idly kicking her legs in the air, an empty bottle of sake discarded on the ground. She was most of her way through a second, and had a third standing by just in case she was still conscious by the time she was finished.  
  
She didn't understand why she felt so miserable; all she knew is that she had an overwhelming urge to get stupifyingly drunk. Maybe latent feelings of Ryoko's own personality were making their presence felt, but the bottom line was that Mihoshe was feeling far from her usual self.  
  
Mihoshe mentally shrugged. I guess we're all pretty wacky right now! she thought. Maybe going around with the rest of the guys will help cheer me up!  
  
Groggily, Mihoshe/Ryoko got to her feet. Staggering only a little, she managed a fairly respectable about-face and headed back in the direction of the house.  
  
* * *  
  
Tenchi looked again at Mihoshe's reflection in the blank TV screen. At Mihoshe's reflection. Mihoshe's face.  
  
Mihoshe's cleavage. Mihoshe's breasts...  
  
'Stop!' he said out loud, clamping his hands over his/her mouth upon hearing Mihoshe's high pitched squeal. He pulled himself out of the couch and stalked into the kitchen, mildly aware that he was slightly taller than usual.   
  
He was also all-too-conscious of his different shape. He walked awkwardly, feeling unbalanced and, well, topheavy. Mihoshe's heavy blonde hair tickled the back of his neck, and he felt more aware of subtle changes in temperature.   
  
It was an odd feeling of curiosty and awkwardness that he would've gladly handed to anyone else in an instant. It would have almost been worth just letting Washu get her sample, he thought with a weak smile.  
  
Kiyone - Sasami rather - was leaning against the kitchen worktop and staring glumly off into space. The pots and pans left over from breakfast were piled somewhat negligantly off to one side. Ryo-Ohki sat dejectedly on the worktop. 'Miyaa . . .'  
  
'Uh... hi, Sasami.' This is just too wierd...  
  
Kiyone - Sasami jerked suddenly out of her reviere at the voice. 'Mihoshe! Oh, I mean - uh...'  
  
'Tenchi,' he supplied helpfully.  
  
Sasami/Kiyone blushed, then smiled a little. 'How silly of me! Was that you shouting in the living room?'  
  
Tenchi/Mihoshe gave a sheepish smile. 'Uh... yeah, sorry.'  
  
Sasami giggled in a girlishly attractive manner. 'What's so funny?' Tenchi asked.  
  
Sasami's/Kiyone's eyes shone. 'Oh it's nothing. It's just, when you smiled and apologised just now, it was just the way Mihoshe behaves!'  
  
Tenchi thought about it a moment, then chuckled himself. 'I hope being Mihoshe isn't infectious!' he remarked, glad to hear the girl within this woman laughing. 'Maybe you should start telling me off like Kiyone does!'  
  
Sasami made a mock frown and stuck her face right in front of Tenchi's. 'Mi-ho-she!' she growled playfully.  
  
'Miya!' Ry-Ohki agreed, looking far more cheerful.  
Tenchi actually laughed out loud, forgetting his discomfort in the absurdity of the moment. He paused when he saw the change in Sasami/Kiyone's expression. 'What is it Sasami?'  
  
Sasami blushed again. 'Uh... nothing, Mih - Tenchi.. .'  
  
Tenchi/Mihoshe frowned. 'Sasami...'  
  
Sasami went even redder. 'It's nothing - really.' She paused. 'It's just that...'  
  
'What!??'  
  
Sasami jumped a bit at Tenchi's exasperation; he again reminded himself that Mihoshe's voice was far more strident than his own. 'Sorry,' he said sheepishly.  
  
Sasami/Kiyone gave him a cute, lopsided smile. 'That's okay.'  
  
Tenchi sighed. 'What's the problem, Sasami?' he asked again.  
Sasami looked coyly through Kiyone's dark, flowing hair and whispered: 'I'm not trying to be rude, but when I was close to you just now.... It's just that - er - you could do, I mean you don't have to, and I can understand why you wouldn't want to-'  
  
Tenchi sighed again. 'I need a bath, don't I?'  
  
Sasami looked wounded. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to rude.'  
  
Tenchi gave another weak smile. 'Yeah. I was, um, kinda afraid of that. But it doesn't feel right; I'd feel like I was insulting her.'  
  
Sasami shook her head. 'Of course you're not. You're respecting her by taking care of her body. I'm sure Mihoshe will understand.' Her face brightened. 'I could come with you if you feel awkward.'  
  
Tenchi gave Sasami/Kiyone a sidelong glance. 'Sasami, you're NOT helping the situation.'  
  
Sasami giggled. 'I'm just kidding.'  
  
Tenchi looked relieved. 'But I guess you're right,' he/she said. 'I guess I just needed someone else to tell me that to clear my conscience. I could always keep my eyes closed.'  
  
Sasami patted Tenchi/Mihoshe's cheek and headed for the kitchen door. It was only then he noticed that Sasami/Kiyone seemed a bit shaky on her feet as well. 'Uh - Sasami, are you okay?'  
  
Sasami turned to him and, for a moment, the brightness seemed to leave her face. 'I feel really awkward,' she admitted.  
  
Tenchi smiled. 'You wanna talk about it?'  
  
The change is Sasami was as sudden as it was unexpected. She flung herself onto Tenchi/Mihoshe, burying her head into his (his??) chest. She choked back a sob.   
  
'Oh Tenchi! I hate this, I HATE IT!! Sasami clung to Tenchi weakly, and he was forced to put his arms around her to keep her from falling. This is so damn awkward...  
  
'I'm so embarrassed,' Sasami was saying softly. But even in Kiyone's rather light voice her words sounded most un-Sasami like. Tenchi/Mihoshe closed his eyes and forced himself to think of the little girl with the bright eyes and even brighter smile. He stroked the back of her head, only to encounter Kiyone's lush, flowing dark hair.  
  
'I keep wanting to go to the - well, you know, just go,' Sasami sniffed. 'But I'm afraid. I feel just like you, even though I know it's silly. I'm so ashamed. Everything feels wierd and different. All Kiyone's... gear - it all fits in funny ways. I - I guess I'm just not used to this kind of stuff yet.'  
  
Tenchi found himself faced with mixture of annoyance towards Washu and an acute sense of embarrassment at feeling Mihoshe and Kiyone's chests pressed together. Sasami's eyes went wide and she flushed a bright scarlet as she realised the same thing. Quickly, they let go of each other, looking awkwardly around.  
  
'Dammit Washu!' Tenchi muttered. 'You just can't leave anything alone, can you??'  
  
'Hey, Tenchi, Come on! I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm SORRY, okay?'  
  
Sasami jumped back into Tenchi's arms at the sudden, spectral sound of Ayeka's voice.   
  
'Ayeka - no, Washu! Damn!' Tenchi clutched Mihoshe's head in frustrated confusion. 'Where are you?' he demanded.  
  
'I'm in my lab, of course,' Washu replied in Ayeka's voice. At that moment a funny looking red gadget, about the size of a softball, buzzed into Tenchi/Mihoshe's face.   
  
'Yargh!' Tenchi exclaimed.  
  
'I'm using these surveilance devices to keep tabs on everybody,' the scientist explained. 'I need to be sure nothing happens to those bodies. Especially mine!'  
  
'What about Kiyone?'  
  
Back in her lab, Washu/Ayeka looked over to where Kiyone/Tenchi was trussed up and gagged on her examination table. 'She's just fine,' Washu/Ayeka assured Tenchi/Mihoshe. 'She's a bit busy right now, though. Carry on! And be good you two!' The scientist swiftly moved the camera out of the kitchen before either of them could ask anymore awkward questions. She stalked back over to the damaged computer core, tugging at Ayeka's kimono as she went.   
  
I'm gonna get this sample if it KILLS me... she thought. I mean, the amount of effort I'm putting in here... and I still have to fix this blasted machine...  
  
Washu tugged at the kimono again, then looked down at it in exasperated confusion.  
  
'How the HECK does Ayeka even stand UP in this thing!?' Washu/Ayeka said aloud. 'This body feels like it's been through a mangle and trapped in a trouser press!!'  
  
'Mmmph,' Kiyone/Tenchi replied, shrugging his/her shoulders.  
  
* * *  
  
Back in the kitchen, Sasami and Tenchi awkwardly disentangled themselves from one another again. Tenchi placed his hands on Sasami's shoulders. 'Are you going to be okay?' Tenchi asked.  
  
Sasami/Kiyone stood slightly firmer than before. She gave an assuring nod. 'Yes. It just occurred to me that what you and Kiyone are going through must be a lot worse than what I'm experiencing. You've not just changed bodies after all, you've changed...' her voice trailed off and she gave a cute, embarrassed smile as her cheeks coloured slightly. 'Well - you know,' she finished meekly.  
  
Tenchi/Mihoshe gave a soft chuckle. 'Oh yeah,' he/she said. 'Boy do we know.' He motioned to the door. 'I'm, uh, gonna take care of that little problem we discussed,' he said. 'Are you sure you're going to be okay?'  
  
Sasami smiled again. 'Yeah.' She turned to the dishes. 'These need washing anyway -'  
  
Sasami turned sharply at the loud THUD, just in time to see Tenchi clutching Mihoshe's face.  
  
'TENCHI!' Sasami/Kiyone exclaimed. 'What happened??'  
  
'Umph,' Tenchi/Mihoshe managed to squawk. 'I wulked into the duur!'  
  
-----  
  
END OF CHAPTER 2  
  
Endnote: Confused yet? I am!! Seriously though, I hope anyone who hasn't gotten bored and wandered off likes what I've done so far. Comments and suggestions can be sent to mccpcorn@hotmail.com  
  
See you at Chapter 3!!! 


	4. Music and Whine

Disclaimer: Here we are again with the usual, grovelling and 'please don't sue me!' stuff! I don't own any of Tenchi or it's multiverses/counterpart series. Tenchi is marvellous and those who created and distributed it are geniuses and I sincerely hope that they welcome this latest offering of awesome respect. Therefore thanx and respect go to Masaki Kajishima, AIC and Pioneer.  
  
Reviews and comments are always welcome! Share your thoughts at mccpcorn@hotmail.com! ^_^  
  
A QUICK RECAP  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Usually called Ryoko/Sasami in the story)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone has found herself stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is getting drunk in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
And if you're not confused enough already, don't worry - you will be!  
  
On with the show...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER THREE: Music and Whine  
===============================  
  
Not for the first time, Washu was glad none of her equipment was coded solely to her genetic code.  
  
As a scientist, Washu believed in freedom of information. She also believed in easy access to that information and regarded most protective security procedures as miserly. She herself tended to employ massive computation indexes as her own security; simple enough in itself - IF you could crack the code.  
  
Considering she was currently working out of Ayeka's body, Washu was extremely grateful for this foresight. Ayeka was now in Washu's body, and the thought of having the princess in the lab for the sole purpose of activating this machine or that apparatus was enough to make even the universe's greatest scientific genius wince.  
  
Washu had long since given up trying to move around in Ayeka's restricive dress and had changed into a tight, figure hugging jumpsuit. It's fetching red colour contrasted well with the violet hair of the Jurian Crown Princess. After all, Washu thought cheerfully to herself, just because I'm the greatest scientific genius in the universe doesn't mean I have no sense of style! Oh, Washu! You can be SOOOO sexy sometimes!  
  
Washu smiled to herself as her fingers flew over her holographic keyboard. Back at the Science Acadamy, one of her first tutors had explained how the melodies and composition of music were not all that dissimilar from the theories and practices of an experiment.   
  
'Scientists ARE musicians,' he had told the assembled students. 'Like any great artist, we are dreamers, and our dreams challenge the universe around us. And like any great piece of art, our works shape the lives of millions. Remember that in your work. See the melodies within the theories and the subatomic structures. Your compositions will make millions cry with joy; go out there and make beautiful music.'  
  
Washu had been moved enough to try her hands at all different musical instruments. Not surprisingly, she'd found that she aspired best to being a pianist. If I can handle a grand piano, she remembered telling herself at the time, then a multi-input keyboard shouldn't be a problem!  
  
Washu was by no means wasting effort with this line of thought. The mild banter served to distract her from the growing sense of concern she was feeling for the others, enabling the scientist to concentrate on the situation at hand dispassionately.  
  
Something was wrong with everyone. They were not acting themselves.  
  
That was to be expected, given how everyone had suddenly found their personality shoved into someone else's body. But it was running deeper than that.   
  
Washu still needed more data to be sure though, and in the meantime she had to repair the Personality Transference Transceiver.  
  
'Trouble?' Kiyone asked from her side.  
  
Washu suppressed a flash of annoyance. Kiyone, currently occupying Tenchi's body, had been something less than a success for the scientist.   
  
She'd tried it all. The nurse's outfit; a schoolgirl's uniform. Washu had even tried dressing up as a policewoman. It had been a complete waste of effort.   
  
Either Washu was losing her touch - no way it could be THAT, she told herself - or Ayeka's body lacked sex appeal (a distinct possibility, Washu thought, but unlikely), or something else had been to blame.  
  
Whatever the reasoning, the incident had been unusual enough to warrant further investigation.   
  
The fact that Kiyone's personality had undergone a change of gender was only the tip of the iceberg. Not only was Kiyone's personality female and not given over to... such things, she was also beset by hormones and other biological nuisances unique to males. The result had left Kiyone with a libido so low that, if it could be measured in negative figures, would leave Tenchi's body about forty below.  
  
Washu had been concerned enough by this line of reasoning to begin a thorough and in-depth analysis of the others in the Masaki household. And only now was she begnning to realise the gravity of their situation.  
  
'I'm not satisfied with the stability of the personality transference,' Washu answered Kiyone's question. 'But I can't monitor everyone AND repair the machine at the same time. Could you take over for me?'  
  
Washu vacated the cushion and Kiyone sat down. 'What am I looking for?' Kiyone asked, ever the professional in whatever she applied herself to.  
  
Washu shrugged. 'Just use your common sense. Imagine the people you know and how they usually act. Then make a note of each time they act in a way you deem is out of character for them. I'll check your notes in a little while and see if I can establish a pattern. Then I may be able to make a better job of stablising us.'  
  
Washu turned back to the PTT, rolling up her sleeves as she did so. She paused long enough to look at Ayeka's dirty hands; the grazes on the knuckles; the burn on the left palm; the dirt under the broken nails.  
  
Man, Ayeka is going to KILL me...  
  
* * *  
  
Tenchi was now more convinced (and worried) than ever that having his personality stuck inside Mihoshe's body was hazardous to his health.  
  
Sasami had assured him that he hadn't broken - er - Mihoshe's nose when he'd walked into the kitchen door, but he was counting the minutes till he was out of the Galaxy Police officer's body and safely back into his own. But on the plus side, he wasn't in any pain and Mihoshe's nose wasn't even swollen.   
  
Maybe Mihoshe's people have a particularly high tolerance to pain, he wondered with a smile.  
  
Sure that Sasami would be alright now, Tenchi closed the door to the kitchen and moved into the living room. Sasami was seemingly adapting to her situation better than anyone else. That may have been because children were naturally resiliant, but perhaps also due in part to the fact that she'd ended up in Kiyone's body - who, after the young princess, was probably the next most stable person in the house.  
  
However, that did little to improve his mood. He'd managed to comfort the young princess about her own predicament, but only at the expense of heightening his private concerns over his own.  
  
As he turned away from the kitchen, Tenchi found that predicament emphasised once more as he almost walked into a small, blue haired figure trotting past him into the living room.  
  
'Hi Sasami - Ryoko, I mean.'  
  
'Yo.'  
  
Tenchi's eyes followed the pirate-in-a-princess' body. It was especially eiree, having just been talking to Sasami in the kitchen. As he watched, Ryoko hopped onto the couch, grabbed the remote, and switched on the TV. In her other hand was a rather familiar looking bottle...  
  
'Um... Ryoko...?' Tenchi began in Mihoshe's hesitant voice.  
  
'Hmm? What?' Ryoko answered absently in Sasami's high voice as she poured herself some sake.  
  
Ayeka finished Tenchi's question for him: 'You're not going to DRINK!?'  
  
Tenchi/Mihoshe couldn't supress the 'Eeek!' at the sudden, strident words of the Crown Princess of Jurai - in the characteristic, clipped tones of the universe's greatest scientific genius.  
  
Ryoko paused amid downing the sake. She stared into the dish a moment, made a face, followed by a shrug. 'I guess not,' she replied, pouring the contents back into the bottle.  
  
Tenchi breathed a quiet sigh of relief at the painless resolution to the dispute. 'Yeah, well, I'm - um - off for a bath.'  
  
Ryoko/Sasami gave Tenchi a wicked look. 'Didn't take you long, did it?'  
  
'Don't say things like that!!' Tenchi snapped in Mihoshe's voice. I need to relax!'  
  
'Yeah, well, I could do with some relaxing too!' Ryoko/Sasami swivelled around, kneeling on the couch. 'Wanna scrub my back?' she asked playfully.   
  
Blank looks were offered in reply; Ryoko's face fell as remembered whose body she was in - and whose body she was speaking to.   
  
'Ah - maybe not,' she finished dejectly as she turned back to the TV.  
  
Tenchi also turned, hearing the sound of the glass doors being opened. He hung on long enough to see Ryoko - now Mihoshe - swagger in, as if a little unsure of her footing.  
  
Ryoko/Sasami glared at her with hard, pink eyes. 'Is that sake!?' she demanded, pointing to the bottle Mihoshe/Ryoko carried.  
  
'Yesh,' Mihoshe replied, trying to walk with the kind of dignity only a drunk can master. At these words, Tenchi chose to beat a hasty exit from the room, leaving the three - um, women - to argue culpabilities amongst themselves.  
  
'Mihoshe!' Ayeka exclaimed - in Washu's body - 'That body is NOT your property! Now I know you and Ryoko both have a reputation for putting it away -'  
  
'Hey!' Sasami snapped.  
  
'- but no matter how badly pickled Ryoko's body is -'  
  
'HEY!!'  
  
'- it gives you no right to make things worse!'  
  
Mihoshe burst out laughing.  
  
Ayeka's expression darkened. 'I fail to see what is so amusing,' she growled.  
  
Mihoshe giggled. 'Ish nothing,' she slurred. 'Ish jus' that you soun' sooo stoopid talking like that in Washu's body.'  
  
'This is NOT a joking matter!' Ayeka, her arms stiff at her sides and her upper body thrust forward, marched towards the pirate/police officer.  
  
'Honestly!' the Crown Princess remarked with disgust. 'Ryoko sloshing it around is bad enough! But YOU-!' Ayeka/Washu's fists clenched in frustration. 'I've never seen such a flagrant disregard -' her eyes narrowed. 'ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!?'  
  
'Nope.' Mihoshe/Ryoko giggled again.  
  
Ayeka/Washu ground her teeth. 'I have seen more professionalism in a TEABAG!!' Ayeka growled, biting out each word. 'You have absolutely NO sense of duty, or honour!! Where IS your sense of responsibility!?'  
  
The change was as unexpected as it was startling. There was a flash in Mihoshe/Ryoko's eyes, and Ryoko's fangs gleamed white as she let out a vicious - almost animal-like - snarl.   
  
'Pish off!' she snapped. 'Jus' PISH OFF! Yoursh really PISHING ME OFF!!' With a hiss of scorched air, Mihoshe activated Ryoko's energy sword. Ayeka found she had taken an involuntary step backwards.  
  
Ryoko/Sasami's expression became one of alarm. 'Hey, hey,' the pirate said gently as she quickly came around the couch. 'Easy Mihoshe. Aeyka didn't mean it like that; she's just concerned about you - us.'  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko's face was stern, but her eyes were wide and glistening. 'Jus' tell her to leave me alone!' she sniffed. 'I dun nothin' to her. Little picky cow!'  
  
Ryoko almost smiled at that, but her main concern was making sure Mihoshe didn't harm Washu's body. If anything like THAT happened, there was no telling how complicated the situation may become. Carefully, Ryoko/Sasami placed both hands around the arm of Mihoshe/Ryoko that clutched the sword.   
  
It was, possibly, the oddest thing she had ever done. Looking up at herself, Ryoko's mind decided that Ryoko's body was one of the most intimidating sights she had ever encountered. While on one level she found that notion deeply satisfying, unwanted thoughts began scratching at the back of her mind.   
  
Is this how the others see me? she wondered. Some arrogant prima-donna who cries like a spoilsport when she doesn't get her own way? Is it any wonder Tenchi jumps ten feet in the air when I so much as put my hand on his shoulder?  
  
How does Sasami even LIKE me? Look at me! A tangled mass of green eyes and cyan hair!  
  
AM I a monster...?  
  
NO! she thought angrily to herself. I WONT believe it! Just LOOK at Ayeka there, all haughty and on her best Lady Muck behaviour! At least I consider my faults! Not her! Even now, she's not sorry she's reduced Mihoshe to a bag of nerves; she's just worried about her OWN skin! Being stuck in Washu's body has brought out the worst in BOTH people!  
  
Ryoko shook off the thoughts as, without resistance, she gently lowered the arm and the sword snapped off.  
  
'There,' she said in the best imitation of Sasami's warmth she could muster. 'All better now. Right, Ayeka?' Ryoko/Sasami gave the princess/scientist a pointed look.  
  
'Yes,' she replied, absently, mechanically. 'All better. I'm sorry, Mihoshe; I overreacted. We are not ourselves today.'  
  
Mihoshe looked on the verge of collapsing through a combination of exhaustion, emotion and alcohol. Ryoko/Sasami led her back to the couch.  
  
'Listen,' she suggested. 'Tenchi just went to the bathroom. Why don't you go join him? I know how much you like it in there, and the steam'll help clear your head.'  
  
'Don't WANT a clear head...'  
  
'Whatever. But it'll make you sleep easier, too. You've not napped at all today, so you must be tired. A lie down will do you good. What do you say?'  
  
For a few anxious moments, Mihoshe/Ryoko said nothing. Then, with a soft smile, she gathered Ryoko/Sasami up into her arms.  
  
'Okay!' Mihoshe answered in a tired, but cheerful voice.  
  
'GLURK!' exclaimed Ryoko.  
  
Dropping the pirate/princess, Mihoshe stood and headed for the door. Ayeka went to help Ryoko/Sasami off the floor.  
  
'I'm alright,' Ryoko muttered as she untangled Sasami's long hair from around her neck. 'Geez! These things are lethal...'  
  
'It's not YOU I'm worried about, Ryoko!' Ayeka said pointedly.  
  
With a a sharp, pink-eyed glare, Ryoko angrily shook off Ayeka's arm.   
  
'Yeah? Well don't think I was worried about YOU, either!' Ryoko's reaction was one of frustration more than anything else. She needed to strike out at the absurdity of their situation and Ayeka had just been a convenient target, not that she would admit that to the princess.   
  
Ryoko stalked back over to the couch and grabbed the remote again just as the door to the kitchen opened and Sasami/Kiyone's head poked through.  
  
'What's going on? I heard raised voices.'  
  
'NOTHING!' Ayeka and Ryoko said at once, delibrately looking away from one another.  
  
Sasami/Kiyone's eyes narrowed. 'Are you two fighting again?'  
  
'NO!' again, in unison.  
  
Sasami/Kiyone sighed, then shrugged. 'Well dinner's going to be about an hour. Can you two keep from killing each other until then?'  
  
It wasn't strictly the kind of remark that the Sasami Ryoko and Ayeka knew would make, but Sasami was finding it fun trying to act "in character" and thought it was the kind of thing Kiyone would say.   
  
Unwittingly, it also served to defuse the tension in the room, as the remark caught both Ryoko and Ayeka off guard. There was a moment's awkward silence, followed by a muttered, 'sure,' from Ryoko/Sasami and a quiet 'yes,' from Ayeka/Washu. With an unconvinced sigh, Sasami/Kiyone shook her head and disappeared back inside the kitchen.  
  
There was another moment's silence, punctuated by an interrogative cough.  
  
'What?' Ryoko asked, eyes on the TV.  
  
'I was wondering, about Mihoshe,' Ayeka asked hesitantly. 'When this is all over. I mean, you wont harm her, will you, Ryoko?'  
  
Ryoko/Sasami let out a frustrated sigh. 'No, no,' she replied. 'No-ones been hurt. The worst that can happen is I'll have a bad hangover when I'm back in my own body. Besides,' her expression brightened. 'After all she's drunk she'll probably conk out soon. The more she sleeps the less chance she'll get into trouble.'  
  
'Yes,' Ayeka agreed, looking towards the door Mihoshe had just left the room from. 'In fact, I actually think she is less clumsy when she's drunk.'  
  
* * *  
  
Back in the lab, Kiyone/Tenchi made her first observation of the day:  
  
It's amazing, she thought, how transplanting a few personalities around into the nearby bodies of people they know well can turn them into lethal weapons...  
  
END OF CHAPTER 3 


	5. Bathtime Blues

Here's the usual disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi or anything about it. This story comes out of respect for the creator's and distributors of this impressive anime show. Please don't sue me - I have no money. Just sit back and enjoy the story - and the free publicity. *wink*  
  
Comments and reviews are welcome. You can post up at Fanfiction.net or contact me at mccpcorn@hotmail.com :)  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone who was in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is watching TV in Sasami's body. (Ryoko/Sasami)  
  
Sasami is making dinner in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone has found herself stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is getting drunk in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
On with the show...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: BATHTIME BLUES (AND GREENS AND REDS AND YELLOWS...)  
=================================================================  
  
Ryoko was bored stiff.  
  
She couldn't fly. She couldn't teleport. She couldn't even get drunk. To make matters worse, there was absolutely crap-all on TV.  
  
She slid off the couch onto her feet, momentarily disorientated by the fact that, standing, she wasn't that much taller than the TV on its stand. Being so damn small had to be the pits. How did Sasami cope? DAMN YOU, WASHU!  
  
Ryoko promised herself she would flatten that particular piece of machinery in Washu's lab the moment this was all straightened out. She can be the greatest scientific genius in TEN universes for all I care! Ryoko snarled angrily to herself. When this is all over I will break her nose! Her and her damn samples!  
  
It wasn't enough that she was stuck in a little kid's body, but a clumsy, incompetent lunatic of a Galaxy Police officer was imprisoned in the body of the most notorious felon in the galaxy!   
  
And said officer, in drunken stupor, had come within an ace of amputating her beloved Tenchi's genitals back in the lab.  
  
The situation had a small upside, though. To everyone's delight, Sasami had discovered that being in Kiyone's body had not dimmed her culinary skills one jot. And for the first time in her life Ryoko, had tasted food.  
  
REALLY tasted food.  
  
It was the most indescribable sensation Ryoko had ever experienced. It was probably almost as good as sex - assuming she and Tenchi ever got around to it. She smiled wickedly to herself.  
  
Later that day, when no-one had been around, the temptation had been too great to resist. She'd raided the fridge and just pigged out. Cheesecake; chocolate fudgecake; sweet and sour chicken; spicy noodles.  
  
Besides, the space pirate told herself with Sasami's energy and stamina she'll burn off the extra calories in no time. That's what kids are like.  
  
Even so, she'd known better than to do it again. Once could be excused, curiosity and all. Twice - well, Ryoko would admit to being many things, but not one to disrespect a child's trust. Even now, she winced at the soft, innocent look in Kiyone's face as Tenchi had talked her out of biting Washu's/Ayeka's face off. Sometimes a conscience can be the PITS, she told herself.  
  
So here she was, in the Masaki living room, with naught to do but wait for Washu 'genius' to fix her precious machine.  
  
Great.  
  
When this is all over, Ryoko promised herself, I am going to harass that woman 24/7 until she gives me proper taste-buds!  
  
THEN I'll break her nose...  
  
* * *  
  
Wide-eyed and tearful, Mihoshe stumbled through the Misaki household, struggling to hold her balance even as she held back the painful sobs welling up inside her chest.  
  
No-one understands! Mihoshe sobbed to herself inside. Everything she had to put up with; everything she tried to do right. Her career was a failure and she'd dragged her best friend and partner down with her. Whether it was one of her and Kiyone's many part-time jobs, or cleaning the carpet, no matter how hard she tried to learn and do things right, something always went wrong.   
  
Of one thing only was Mihoshe sure; give the task to her and all hell would break loose.  
  
Mihoshe was never a person to accept defeat and had always stood in cheery defiance against her limitations and ill-fortune. But somehow, being in this body had opened her eyes to how she was as a person, and more importantly how she was viewed by others.  
  
What Mihoshe had failed to realise was that the misery affecting her was, in fact, affecting everyone. Mihoshe was in Ryoko's body and she had just had a fight with Ayeka, but the Jurian's response had been as much an instinctive reaction to the body rather than the personality occupying it - and the princess herself had been unaware of the unseen forces working on herself.   
  
Mihoshe hadn't seen that though; the feelings colouring her perceptions were only another product of her habitual misfortune. In typical Mihoshe fashion, she now felt that everyone around her walked on egg shells as they were afraid of upsetting her or hurting her feelings.  
  
Well, she had never wanted sympathy from anybody, and their pity only angered her. Understanding and support, yes, but sympathy and pity?  
  
Mihoshe raised her head from between her knees. She didn't know how long she'd been huddled in the corridor by this door. She couldn't even remember sitting down here. But her head hurt, and judging by the light evening was starting to draw in.  
  
She stood awkwardly, feeling the pins and needles in her arms and legs, the twinges and aches in her back from being in an uncomfortable position too long. She felt hot and cold, and clammy all over. Inside she felt very dark and cold and alone when she wanted to be warm, cheerful and happy.  
  
Tenchi understands she thought to herself. He's ALWAYS understood . . .  
  
Ryoko's eyes had remarkably good night-vision - she could see better in fact than during the day. Did strong sunlight affect Ryoko's moods? In any case Mihoshe made her way to the room she shared with Kiyone without trouble.  
  
The whole body-swap nightmare and made a complete mess of things in terms of personal clothing as everyone had shuffled in and out of each other's rooms for clothes that fit. But Ryoko was easy enough; as she had no room she kept her few personal belongings in a trunk in Kiyone and Mihoshe's room. Mihoshe now rummaged around in that trunk for a fresh set of clothes, tossing objects of dubious origin and purpose aside.  
  
'Here we are!' she said to herself with a smile. 'Now, to freshen up a little, change clothes, and look forward to supper-time! Hey!' Mihoshe's eyes narrowed in thought. 'Didn't Ryoko say something about Tenchi....? Oh, yeah!'  
  
Mihoshe threw the fresh clothes over her right shoulder and paused just long enough to liberate a bottle of sake from Ryoko's trunk.  
  
'She wont miss this!' Mihoshe told herself cheerfully. 'After all, it's all in a good cause!' Mihoshe half loped, half stumbled to the ladies bathroom.  
  
Time to play a big Ryoko joke on Tenchi! she told herself in a fit of giggles.  
  
* * *  
  
Somehow, Tenchi had managed to get out of Mihoshe's clothes without actually opening his - her - eyes. After that, getting into a towel had been child's play, although the thought of actually trying to get back INTO Mihoshe's clothes was a cause for distant alarm.  
  
For now, though, Tenchi was reclined in the luxurious bathroom Washu had constructed. This was almost his first time in the place; how odd that it was only now he could fully appreciate it!  
  
On the other hand, the only person in the house who could've let him into the men's bathroom was helping out Washu, so Tenchi/Mihoshe wasn't feeling too guilty about being in here. Given the fact that he had some serious unwinding to do after an abnormally stressful day - even by the Masaki household's standards - Tenchi was more than willing to take any opportunity to relax that came his way.  
  
The steam drifted past his vision and soaked into his skin. Tenchi closed his - Mihoshe's - eyes, and slowly sank into the warm water until it was just lapping at the base of his/her chin. The clouds of steam; the soft tinkle of water; most important, the golden silence, all combined to leave Tenchi extremely drowsy.  
  
As he relaxed, Tenchi's thoughts drifted back to Sasami. Imagine, he thought, a nine year old girl suddenly finding herself in the body of a mid-twenties woman. What would that do to her?  
  
Being in someone else's body was like trying on a set of ill-fitting clothes. To the owner of the clothes, everything was fine. When you dressed of a morning, your skin registered the contact of the fabric, but then more or less forgot about it, to the point where you didn't even consider what you were wearing.  
  
To a person who suddenly found themselves wearing them, they would be lose in some places, too tight in others and ride up in the most uncomfortable places. He recalled how Mihoshe's bra had seemed to chafe his/her skin. For Mihoshe, that was just part of her day. For Tenchi it was a supreme annoyance. If he was in her body long enough - something he profoundly hoped would NOT happen - he would probably get used to it as well.  
  
As he followed this train of thought, Tenchi slowly became aware of something. In this body, he was highly aware of all the... unusual angles Mihoshe's clothes had to fit. He wasn't used to the barrage of new sensations he was experiencing, and his - Mihoshe's skin - had been left somewhat hypersensitive.   
  
And so, Mihoshe's clothes had... tickled.  
  
He HAD hoped the bath would solve the problem, but the water lapping at Mihoshe's body was almost as bad as wearing clothes.... In some ways, it was actually worse.  
  
Sighing, he pulled himself up so that Mihoshe's body was sitting upright in the bath. The situation was sufficiently embarrassing without having to go through any of... those sort of feelings. Maybe coming in here wasn't such a good idea after all, he thought as he opened his eyes -  
  
Ryoko was floating right in front of him.  
  
His immediate response was a high pitched shriek as he first flapped Mihoshe's arms around in the water, struggling to maintain his/her balance. He then found himself frantically pulling up the top of his towel as it came loose. Not to hide anything from Ryoko, but to keep himself from seeing it.  
  
'It's okay Tenchi.'  
  
Tenchi stopped, mid-flounder.  
  
It was Ryoko's voice, yet not...   
  
Tenchi found his voice. 'Mihoshe?'  
  
Ryoko nodded vigorously, making her chest shake.  
  
Her BARE chest...  
  
Tenchi shut his eyes again. 'AH, Ryoko! Mihoshe I mean! What are you trying to do! Put something on!'  
  
Mihoshe's only response was to float there, bright eyed and smiley faced. 'What's the matter, Tenchi?' she asked. 'It's not like you're seeing anything you've not seen already! Besides, this IS the bathroom.'   
  
Mihoshe giggled, and Tenchi tried very hard not to think about how fetching the sound was. Ryoko's voice was slightly higher than usual, with a beautiful, carefree note that sounded like fresh, cool water. Her eyes contained something he'd not seen before: innocence.  
  
He had no doubt that the Ryoko he knew had an essence of innocence within her, but she worked so hard at being loud and full of bluster, and her gaze was usually so sultry and hypnotic, Tenchi had never been able to perceive it before.  
  
What he saw now, was a union of innocence; Ryoko's centre, emphasised by Mihoshe's.  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko's suddenly gave Tenchi/Mihoshe a playful look. It was a Tenchi had seen before on Ryoko's face; a cat about to play with it's prey.   
  
But again, the innocence softened it. Mihoshe spun away slowly, rotating and giggling, her long, flowing cyan hair dipping into the water as she spun end over end.  
  
'I'm really getting the hang of this!' Mihoshe exclaimed as she reached the edge of the water and planted her feet firmly on the tiled walkway above the bath. She stretched herself out, lithe as a cat, and Tenchi/Mihoshe closed his eyes once again.  
  
'Mihoshe, you're drunk,' Tenchi stated, trying not to look as Ryoko's slender, naked body danced around.  
  
'Yesh,' Mihoshe slurred. 'But only a littles.'  
  
Tenchi covered his eyes with a hand. 'Mihoshe, you shouldn't be. That body isn't your property; you're treating it like a borrowed coat or something.' What is it with everyone at the moment? We're all acting like crazies!  
  
'Isha ohhkhaay,' Mihoshe assured. 'Thissha jus' likes Ryoko anyways - AH!' Mihoshe lost her footing at the waters edge and headed straight for the water.  
  
'MIHOSHE!!' Tenchi shouted. He splashed his way to the edge just in time to take a somersaulting Mihoshe/Ryoko like a WWF bodyslam, both going into the deep end for good measure.  
  
Tenchi broke the surface, coughing and spluttering, hauling a highly dazed Mihoshe with him. He dragged her weakly to the steps leading into the bath before collapsing in an exhausted heap.   
  
It was long moments before he realised his towel had come loose and that Mihoshe's - Ryoko's head was pillowed against his chest. Tenchi/Mihoshe's arms were wrapped tightly around Mihoshe/Ryoko's shoulders and Tenchi was now all too aware of the contact of their bare skin. Ohhh Gaahhhdd...!  
  
Soft green eyes lifted to meet his, tears flowing, a bittersweet smile on the face before him. She sniffed, as if trying to hold strong emotions back.  
  
It suddenly occurred to Tenchi what Mihoshe was dealing with. Like Sasami though on a grander scale, Mihoshe was struggling to maintain her sense of self. Being in Ryoko's body had made her more aware of herself, and sensitised her to criticism. She saw all her failures strung out before her and was sick to death of people telling her off about it. Even now, it seemed she was bracing herself for another verbal assault. One it was doubtful she could withstand under the circumstances.   
  
Tenchi realised that it would be the ultimate put-down to Mihoshe if he berated her when occupying GP Officer's own body. Mihoshe would she herself telling her how useless and idiotic she was - and nothing would be more soul-destroying than that.  
  
'I think I see now,' Tenchi said soothingly. 'There's so much going on under the surface that you hold back; that's why you're the way you are. When you get drunk, you're more open about your feelings so you're more in control of yourself.' no wonder she's better behaved when she's plastered.   
  
Tenchi wondered that perhaps Ryoko and Mihoshe had more in common than they BOTH realised; holding back their true selves for starters.  
  
He was suddenly aware that Mihoshe/Ryoko was staring very intently at him. 'Umm... what is it, Mihoshe?'  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko smiled, a smile of warmth and happiness. 'You understand,' she said simply. 'I always knew you did.' She gathered him into a warm hug.  
  
While Mihoshe may have found this of great comfort, Tenchi himself was feeling more uncomfortable by the second. The awkward... sensations he'd experienced prior to Mihoshe's arrival - which had been temporarily forgotten due to her antics - had redoubled their presence. Without trying to look like he was hurrying, Tenchi began untangling himself from Mihoshe as gracefully as possible. 'Er, that's great, Mihoshe. But I think I'm just about ready to move.'  
  
He suddenly found himself in a gentle but VERY firm and insistent grip; he'd forgotten just how strong Ryoko was. 'What's the matter, Tenchi?' she asked, her voice suddenly emotional. 'Have I done something wrong?'  
  
'No! No,' Tenchi answered quickly as he tried to ignore Mihoshe/Ryoko's chest pressing against his - HER - own. He quickly tightened the towel he was wearing. 'I just don't want to get all wrinkly - especially since I'm in your body!' he finished with a lame laugh.  
  
Mihoshe giggled, and for a moment, Tenchi could close his eyes and imagine her as her usual, cheerful self. 'You know Tenchi,' she said in a playful voice, 'you're no good at lying in that body.' She raised herself on her elbows. 'I can help.'  
  
Tenchi squirmed backwards until he was pressed against the bath. He was red faced with embarrasment, and was desperately trying to think of a way out of this situation. But for some reason his usual defences just weren't working properly. 'Umm, I'm not sure that's a good idea, Mihoshe.'  
  
'Why not?' Mihoshe's - Ryoko's - face was suddenly very close. 'That's MY body,' she said in a dark, seductive voice. 'I know all the right buttons to push.'  
  
The odd thing was, he didn't feel threatened in the same way he did with Ryoko. The Space Pirate always seemed ready to eat him alive - or at least take a hefty chunk out of him. But this soft visage was of a deeper, more complex person, perhaps even a mixture of the two. Yes, he'd always known that Ryoko played things loud, but he'd never attributed the same thing to Mihoshe. For a moment he felt guilty over that.  
  
For the first time, Tenchi found himself experiencing a true empathy with the people around him. How much - or little - did he know ANY of the young women who had shared his life for so long? How many secrets - himself included - did they all keep?  
  
It was an invigorating feeling, but also a daunting one. It made him all the more aware of WHY these people were here. After this, would they decide that life in the Masaki household wasn't all it was cracked up to be? Tenchi experienced a sudden thrill of fear that they would all leave.   
  
In that moment, he realised something about himself; how deeply he cared about everyone here. His friends.  
  
His family...   
  
If he could only hold onto these feelings; when Washu undid this mess, it may make everyone's lives richer for the experience.  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko was watching him intently. All this introspection had taken less than two seconds, but with her face so close, it was clear she'd seen it all. She smiled again, a smile of deep warmth and compassion.  
  
'You DO understand...'  
  
Tenchi closed his eyes.  
  
Her lips were soft, far softer than he'd expected. Maybe that was because his own lips were pretty soft at the moment. He decided it was academic as he sank into the kiss.  
  
He felt a profound sense of loss as Mihoshe/Ryoko gently withdrew from the kiss, but only for a moment. 'I can close my eyes and think of you,' Mihoshe said softly. 'You can think of me, or Ryoko, or anyone else you want to.'  
  
With those brief words, Tenchi learned something else about Mihoshe; she was totally selfless. He had always known she was loyal, but when someone cared for a person so deeply that they didn't care who's name you called out when they kissed you, just as long as you enjoyed the kiss... 'Who else might you think of?' he asked suddenly.  
  
Mihoshe giggled again, her voice powerful, playful. 'Not telling.'  
  
Tenchi shuddered as he felt a hand slide down his left side, over the curve of his - her - hip. It then drifted up the inside of Tenchi/Mihoshe's thigh.  
  
Mihoshe's voice - as Ryoko's - was a husky whisper. 'Close you eyes and make a wish...'  
  
'TENCHI!!!!'  
  
Twin shrieks came from both Tenchi and Mihoshe and he again found himself splashing around as he lost his balance and sank into the water. He struggled to the service, hair soaked and plastered to his face and eyes, to be confronted by the source of high decibels; Princess Ayeka.  
  
Except that Ayeka was...   
  
'Washu!' Mihoshe/Ryoko exclaimed. 'And Kiyone! You startled us!'  
  
For some reason, Washu/Ayeka didn't seemed to have noticed the intimacy of Tenchi and Mihoshe's position. She simply stood there, Ayeka's body wrapped in a bright red, figure hugging jump-suit, with her hair tied back. Her face wore an expression of extreme alarm. Behind her, stood Kiyone, in Tenchi's OWN body, looking about as earnest as Tenchi could get. Do I REALLY look like that?  
  
Tenchi again briefly wondered what these women from beyond Earth, who could travel anywhere they wished and probably have any male they wanted, could possibly see in a nerdy adolescent.  
  
Washu/Ayeka was breathing hard; she was doubled over, hands on her knees. Adjusting his towel, Tenchi/Mihoshe waded over. With the soft pop of displaced air, Mihoshe teleported over to Kiyone/Tenchi, throwing her arms around her.  
  
'Kiyone!!' She slurred. 'I mished you snow mush!!' Mihoshe cuddled up to her partner, seemingly now oblivious to their predicament. Kiyone - in true Tenchi fashion - went a bright beet red and hurriedly tried to disentangle herself - HIMSELF - from Mihoshe/Ryoko's clutches.  
  
'Mihoshe!' Kiyone whimpered. 'Will you BEHAVE yourself!? LOOK at you! Go and get some clothes on!!'  
  
Mihoshe giggled and let go of Kiyone. She nodded vigorously, making her chest wobble again. 'KAY!' she replied and with another pop, teleported from the bath.  
  
Kiyone moved off to one side, planting her - Tenchi's - feet awkwardly, as if trying to hide something... Oh HELL! she squeaked silently to herself. What the HECK am I supposed to do with - with THIS!?' As Washu/Ayeka talked, Kiyone tried to adjust Tenchi's belt.  
  
'What is it Washu?' Tenchi/Mihoshe was asking the scientist. 'Is there a problem?'  
  
'Yes - pant - a big one,' Washu/Ayeka explained around hungry gasps of air. Either Ayeka was hideously unfit, or she just didn't know how to make this body work for her. 'But not with you. It's Ryoko.'  
  
Tenchi/Mihoshe's eyes narrowed, a cold feeling settling in the stomach. 'What's happened?'  
  
'She had a fight with Ayeka,' Washu explained, eyes and voice full of alarm. 'She's ran away.'  
  
END OF CHAPTER 4 


	6. Sake and Tears

Here's the usual disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi, it's characters, or anything else about it. This story comes out of respect for the creator's and distributors of this impressive anime show. If anyone involved in Tenchi sees this, I only hope you enjoy reading it so much that you don't wanna sue me!  
  
As always, comments and reviews are welcome. You can post them up over at Fanfiction.net or through mccpcorn@hotmail.com =)  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Ryoko/Sasami)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone has found herself stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is getting drunk in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
On with the show...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: SAKE AND TEARS  
============================  
  
Sasami hummed lightly to herself as she finished packing the rice-cakes away in their respective boxes. On the floor behind her, she could hear Ryo-Ohki meowing to herself as she played with her tail.   
  
Although Washu had expressly forbid anyone entering the lab while she tried to repair the Personality Transference Transceiver, Sasami would always have had a special dispensation when it came to providing some much needed refreshment. And so she busied herself with packed lunches for both Washu and Kiyone.  
  
Kiyone...  
  
Sasami paused for a moment, staring at her reflection in the window. What she could see was Kiyone's face. The young princess had caught the same image earlier in a mirror. She was surprised at how stressed and careworn Kiyone's face looked up close. Kiyone's face was full of concern, worry and fascination. A tired face, but a face that was oddly content.  
  
It had got Sasami wondering: how different had Kiyone's life turned out to what the young GP officer must have expected when she graduated?  
  
Kiyone was an undeniably beautiful woman, but with a sadness in her eyes that strongly reminded Sasami of Ayeka. Like Sasami's elder sister, Kiyone was a person struggling with two different lives; torn between the life she wanted, and the life she was - perhaps - destined to have.  
  
But did Kiyone KNOW what she wanted, really? Was the life that she sought just a myth - only what she THOUGHT she wanted?  
  
Sasami finished wrapping the ricecakes and put them to one side, then fished some fruit juice out of the fridge. On an impulse, she stooped down and opened the freezer door and picked out a few items for supper. On the way back up, she caught her head on the fridge's door handle.  
  
'Ouch!' Sasami winced in pain. Again she was surprised how deep Kiyone's voice seemed when she was using it.  
  
Ryo-Ohki paused in her play. 'Meow?'  
  
'It's nothing - I'm all right,' Sasami murmured as she straightened up. Her back seemed to complain every inch of the way. I don't understand!, Sasami thought to herself. Kiyone is so athletic; where do all these aches and pains come from!?  
  
It hadn't occurred to her that for Kiyone, used to living mostly on a stable shipboard environment, Earth's weather could be a little rough. Add to that a slightly heavier gravity than what Kiyone was used to, being rushed off her feet in a fast food bar, and the chilly environment offered by most construction sites, and it was unsurprising that sooner or later something would give.  
  
The problem was that Sasami was a child being bombarded by the physiology of an adult woman. One minute she needed the little girl's room; another she felt all tense. There were momentary confusions where Sasami found she had completely lost the thread of what she was doing. Then she would find herself dealing with unexpected rushes of emotion, where she would feel angry or sad for no apparent reason. Sasami idly wondered how much of what she was feeling had been conditioned into Kiyone by Mihoshe's antics.  
  
It wasn't that this sort of behaviour was typical of a woman, that much Sasami knew. It was just that she wasn't used to it and was having difficulty adjusting to it. For Kiyone, used to her own body, it was all second nature. In time, as Sasami grew older, she would come to terms with the changes of her own body as all kids did, be they boys or girls.  
  
In the meantime Sasami just felt as if she was going to hell in a handbasket.  
  
The hormones were problematic enough; but it was the physical aspects that caused Sasami the most difficulty. Before, when she had only needed to stoop, or drop to one knee to check in the oven, she now had to crouch down. This was awkward because she couldn't tuck her knees into her chest as she was used to. To make matters worse, she kept banging her hips against drawer knobs, worktops, and the oven door.  
  
There were some minor compensations, though. There was no need to stand on boxes to check the high cupboards; and Kiyone's stronger arms made for lighter work. And it was also nice being able to talk to people eye-to-eye, instead of looking up to them all the time. And when Sasami WAS concentrating on something, she found herself more focused than she had ever been, and yet still highly alert at what was going on around her.  
  
The most interesting thing, though, was Kiyone's heightened sense of taste. Everything tasted sharper, more pronounced. Sasami had noted in the past that Kiyone was very choosy when it came to fast food and snacks, preferring softer, more natural ingredients. The GP Officer also tended to avoid meals that were very salty or spicy. It perhaps explained Kiyone's fondness for cheesecake, and blended noodles.  
  
Sasami had compensated by selecting more subtle flavours and low-key herbs, going for sharp flavour contrasts or rich, textured foods. Not so much bland flavours but rather breadth of taste over depth of taste. The irony was that Kiyone, in Tenchi's body, wouldn't be able to appreciate the effort.   
  
And once Sasami had her own body back, would she be able to reproduce the recipe exactly?  
  
* * *  
  
Ayeka regarded The woman currently occupying her sister's body with undisguised distaste.   
  
Ryoko - in Sasami's body - was slouched idly on the couch, flicking through the TV channels. Ayeka could hear the Space Pirate muttering to herself: 'No... no... seen it.... Definitely not...'  
  
Why in all the cosmos did that little space wench have to end up in my younger sister's body, of all places!? Ayeka thought angrily to herself, her blood boiling. This is all Washu's fault! Her and her persistent attempts to molest my beloved Lord Tenchi! Anyone can see we belong together, and yet Ryoko and Washu constantly try to drive wedges between us! 'Well it won't work!' Ayeka pronounced loudly.   
  
A little too loudly, as with a sudden 'Eeep!' Ryoko/Sasami was jolted out of her slouch, only to loose her balance and slither off the couch onto the floor.  
  
Ayeka winced and closed her eyes. 'Ryoko will you PLEASE be careful with Sasami's body!?' she pleaded.  
  
The space pirate glared hard at Ayeka/Washu. 'Hey! YOU'RE the one who startled me, princess!'  
  
'Well, YOU should've been sitting up straight!'  
  
'And just who the heck are YOU to be telling me what to do, sister?'  
  
'I am NOT your SISTER, you, you cyan haired FREAK!' Ayeka snarled. 'SASAMI is my sister, not YOU.'  
  
'Did someone call me?' Sasami/Kiyone asked, poking her head out of the kitchen door.  
  
Ayeka flailed around mentally for a moment, tight-lipped. 'Ah - no, er, Sasami,' she finally managed to get out. 'How are you? Are you all right?'  
  
Sasami/Kiyone shrugged. 'As well as can be expected, I guess. How about you? How's life in Washu's body?'  
  
Ayeka scowled and folded her arms crossly. 'Don't remind me!' she huffed.  
  
Sasami/Kiyone giggled. 'Okay. Listen, I'm just going to take some food through to Washu and Kiyone. You wanna do me a favour and start setting the table?'  
  
'Of course,' Ayeka/Washu gave Ryoko a sidelong glance. 'We both will, wont we Ryoko?'  
  
'Why don't you get shafted...' Ryoko/Sasami muttered under her breath.  
  
'PARDON!?'  
  
'I said, when do we get started?' Ryoko sprang up with a game imitation of boundless enthusiasm.  
  
A doubtful look crossed Sasami/Kiyone's features, but she said nothing more. 'Well, okay then. I'll be back soon; please stay out of the kitchen you two.'  
  
'Of course.'  
  
'Yeah, sure. Whatever.'  
  
Looking unconvinced, Sasami/Kiyone left the room. It occurred to Sasami that leaving Ayeka and Ryoko alone together was not a smart thing to do, even at the best of times.  
  
And that these were FAR from the best of times.  
  
* * *  
  
Back in the Living Room, Ayeka and Ryoko lapsed back into stony silence.   
  
It was just typical, Ayeka considered to herself, that Sasami had had to go and remind her of whose body she was in. Ayeka had never realised just how much of a ghastly shade of red Washu's stockings were. Then there was the odd krink or pain in the third knuckle of Washu's right hand, and the Science Academy badge she wore caught the light and glinted in the corner of her left eye to maddening affect.   
  
Jurai Stars! I'm going to get cross-eyed! Ayeka actually giggled as the mental image of a cross-eyed, mad scientist Washu drifted up in her mind's eye.  
  
If truth be told, much to Ayeka's surprise and shame, she was finding it difficult to focus ANY mental or physical energy on any task, no matter how simple. Occasionally, Ayeka had found herself feeling tremendously weary; as if a weight of years were on her shoulders. She found it hard to concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes. Perhaps Washu's brain and body was missing the tremendous driving force of the scientist's will, but regardless of the reason, Ayeka felt as if she had been carved from lead.  
  
Yet her senses were restless; her eyes darted from one object to another, almost as if she were anxious or nervous about something. Washu's vision was also deeper, and seemed to reveal almost a glow in everything it looked upon. And her hearing seemed sharper, more keen. How else had she picked up on Ryoko's witty aside? And she was acutely aware of the sounds and smells coming from the kitchen. But in every case, curiosity was quickly satisfied, and after awhile all became wearisome.   
  
The downside of her heightened senses seemed to be this physical lethargy - and an appalling taste in colour-combination clothes.  
  
A clatter jolted Ayeka from her reverie; Ryoko came marching in with armfuls of eating utensils, Ryo-Ohki perched neatly on her head. 'Miiyya!' the cabbit chirped happily.  
  
'What on Jurai are you DOING!?' Ayeka/Washu exclaimed, bringing her hands up to the sides of her head in alarm.  
  
Ryoko/Sasami gave a blank look as Ryo-Ohki hopped off her head and onto the floor. 'Um... laying the table...?'  
  
Ayeka stood up sharply and marched over. Reaching out, she snatched some of the utensils from Ryoko.  
  
'Hey! Watch it!' Ryoko barked. 'I'll drop the bowls!'  
  
'Then you should have been more careful and not started without me!' Ayeka snapped. To think Ryoko actually decided to DO something for a change! Ayeka thought angrily to herself. And that I was the one left lounging around! As if I'm lazy or something!   
  
Well I'll show her! If Ryoko is actually going to do what I say, I'm going to damn well make sure she does it right!! Ayeka was only vaguely aware that this wasn't exactly a train of thought well-suited to a Crown Princess of Jurai, but she was long since past caring when it came to having anything to do with Ryoko.  
  
Between the two of them, amidst only mildly barbed commentary, they managed to get the table set down and the tablecloth laid upon it. Things were slightly more aggravated when it came to actually arranging the table. Each bowl carried a small motif, in the form of a flower, and Ayeka was constantly readjusting each bowl as Ryoko laid it down, so that each motif pointed inwards, towards the others on the table.  
  
'Look, It's FINE, Ayeka,' Ryoko ground out in an exasperated voice.  
  
'No, it is NOT fine,' Ayeka rejoined hotly as she moved another bowl around so that it's flower motif was pointed inwards to match the others. 'If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well.'  
  
'Even SASAMI doesn't go into this much detail!' Ryoko protested.  
  
'Well I do,' Ayeka retorted. 'And I am laying this table.'  
  
'WE are laying this table; I put those bowls down!'  
  
'Yes you did. Wrongly. I am correcting them.'  
  
'Fine, fine!' Ryoko snapped. 'Do what you like if it makes you feel better!' To Ayeka's fury, the space pirate dropped the rest of the gear into the middle of the table and stomped back off to the couch.  
  
'RYOKO!' Ayeka hollered. 'You've messed everything up!'  
  
'Well, YOU'RE the perfectionist, PRINCESS,' Ryoko snapped. 'YOU fix it. I'm only in your way, remember?'  
  
Clenching her jaw tightly, Ayeka bit off her response. 'What IS it with you, anyway?' she demanded of Ryoko.  
  
The pirate glanced over, a puzzled look on her face. 'Huh?'  
  
Ayeka sighed. 'I am only trying to do my best as I see fit for EVERYONE. Even YOU. Why must you CONSTANTLY frustrate my attempts, even now, of all times?'  
  
Ryoko/Sasami swung her body around on the couch to face Ayeka/Washu. 'You really wanna know?' Ryoko/Sasami's eyes narrowed. 'You may say that you're only doing what's best, and you may even fool yourself into believing it's true; but it's NOT. Doing your best is the LAST thing on your mind.   
  
'You just try to raise yourself above others by putting everyone else down and making them look inferior. If I'd laid those bowls out to perfection, with all those flower motif's turned inwards, YOU just woulda found some excuse to turn 'em all around so that the motif's were facing OUTWARDS.   
  
'I'm your rival Ayeka; NOTHING I could do would EVER be enough for you - it would never measure up to those supposedly high standards of yours, because you're always changing the height of the fence. If you were honest to yourself, you'd admit it too.' Ryoko hopped down from the couch and struck a defiant posture that looked faintly laughable for Sasami's body.  
  
'On the other hand, I make no pretences about what I am; what you see is what you get. You Jurians, with your stuck up, haughty behaviour! It's all a veneer! About the only thing that makes you guys civilised is that you eat with a knife and fork. Underneath, you're just as dirty and rotten as anybody else.'  
  
Ayeka failed to respond right away. Not through a lack of anger, for Ryoko's accusation was outrageous. The bottom line was that she was struck dumb with surprise. She had never heard Ryoko use such sophisticated language, and it had never occurred to her that this arrogant, foul-mouthed, poorly mannered prima donna of a pirate might actually be relatively intelligent, though being Washu's 'daughter' it may appear obvious in hindsight.  
  
Perhaps being in Sasami's body had allowed a previously sleeping aspect of Ryoko's personality to surface, similar to how Ryoko's long imprisonment on Earth and freedom from Kagato's influence had irrevocably changed the pirate into something better than she had been (though not by much in Ayeka's opinion).   
  
It was a further indication, not that any was needed, of how closely tied a personality was to the body it inhabited, and the environment it lived in. And how fragile and vulnerable a personality was when removed from that environment.  
  
All this passed through Ayeka's mind in a fraction of a second; barely enough to consider it, and certainly not enough to restrain her anger. 'I did NOT request insults!!'  
  
'Truth hurts, doesn't it?' Ryoko/Sasami taunted.  
  
Ayeka's voice shook with pained emotion. 'Now more than EVER we must try to hold onto who we are,' she explained. 'I swear to you, I meant no disrespect to your efforts. I'm just trying to get through this thing as best I can, and I do NOT need YOU to make things anymore difficult! This whole mess is your fault as it is.'  
  
Up to that point, Ryoko had actually decided that the whole thing HAD been a misunderstanding, and been prepared to offer burying the hatchet for the rest of the day. But that last, arrogantly casual accusation - as if EVERYTHING that went wrong in the Masaki household was somehow inspired merely by Ryoko's presence - there was no WAY she was going to let that slide. 'MY fault!?' she demanded.  
  
'Yes,' Ayeka responded matter of factly. 'If you hadn't blasted Washu's machine -'  
  
'You'd have preferred letting Washu paw at Tenchi's privates in the middle of the night??' Ryoko retorted. 'What the hell do you WANT!? Maybe next time you oughtta watch how much sake YOU knock back before you go to bed, PRINCESS!'  
  
'We'll be lucky to survive this trauma you've inflicted upon us!' Ayeka snapped. 'Look at what Mihoshe nearly did!'  
  
'Hey, YOU started that!' Ryoko cut in. 'Everything was fine until you started your high and mighty Goddess Ayeka routine! You think I saved your butt because I wanted too? No way!' Ryoko/Sasami's eyes burned.   
  
'Washu's the only one who can fix this mess for us, and you almost got her head scalped! She would've just LOVED that, wouldn't she? Not to mention risking your OWN life, AND the fact that Mihoshe almost skewered herself on MY laser sword! And you have the nerve to call MIHOSHE disrespectful!'  
  
Ayeka/Washu's nostrils flared angrily and she took a threatening step towards Ryoko/Sasami.  
  
'You, YOU have the NERVE to judge MY actions!! How DARE you! What do YOU know of respect?? You think I don't know about the three lunches you've had since you were in Sasami's body!?'  
  
Ryoko found herself breaking out in a cold sweat. How had Ayeka found out about that!? 'What does THAT have to do with anything?' she asked in a slightly guilty tone of voice.  
  
'What does it have to DO with anything?? Try abusing a child's trust; that you wont harm something precious and valuable to them! All that time you were stuffing your face, did you think of the repercussion's that SASAMI will have to deal with once back in that body?' It was at this point that a very worried looking Ryo-Ohki left the room.   
  
Ryoko and Ayeka squared off from one another. 'I had SOME snacks!' Ryoko protested. 'What's the big deal?'  
  
'More like a 3 course meal! I saw you dump the boxes in the trash outside.'  
  
Ryoko/Sasami's eyes widened. 'You little BITCH! You spied on me!'  
  
'Well, who ELSE was going to look after Sasami's body? YOU certainly weren't!'  
  
'Hey, YOU try going 2,000 years without tastebuds and see what YOU do when you finally get a chance to enjoy a proper meal.'  
  
Ayeka acted as if she hadn't heard. 'And the way you FLIRTED with Lord Tenchi!!' she continued. 'In SASAMI'S body! Disgraceful!'  
  
'It was a JOKE!! I forgot for a second! What the HELL do you know about flirting anyways!? You're so damn frigid you only have to open your legs and the furnace kicks in!'  
  
'Who DO you think you are talking too!?'  
  
'You, ya princess prissy pants!'  
  
'Why you pint-pot pirate, you!!'  
  
'Who're YOU calling pint-pot, LITTLE Miss Ayeka!?' Ryoko taunted Ayeka/Washu with the scientists preferred name. 'You see what I mean? You're not worried about ANYONE, 'cept your sorry princess ass!'  
  
The slap was so hard it knocked Ryoko/Sasami sideways to the floor; she banged her head on the base of the couch. Ayeka/Washu stood, trembling with barely controlled fury.  
  
'You little MONSTER!' she panted between ragged breaths. 'How dare you! How DARE you judge me and my actions! BY WHAT GRACE ARE YOU PERMITTED TO SIT IN JUDGEMENT ON A CROWN PRINCESS OF JURAI!?!  
  
'You! You show respect to my sister? Laughable!! If it had not been for Tsunami's intervention, Sasami would be DEAD! Where was your respect there, DEMON? DON'T preach your hypocrisy to ME!  
  
'You MURDERED Sasami! Do you care? No! Did you care THEN? No! Did you care when you threatened her life aboard my ship when I first came to Earth? No!  
  
'You don't care! You've never CARED! It's all you you you you you! You never lift a FINGER in this house, but you're quick enough to take advantage of the work of others. You never give a thought to anyone else. Sasami cooks while you laze around!'  
  
'On Jurai, we honour duty, respect, obligation. YOU honour NOTHING, except the gratification of your own peverse desires! You're just a hollow shell of a being. You have no sense of purpose. You're empty! Souless!  
  
'I recognise the rewards of responsibility; I strive to better myself. All I want is to make a difference, to help people live a better life. THAT'S the reason you constantly undermine my efforts! Because you KNOW you are a shallow and selfish creature, and cannot match my dedication or devotion. You're a product without a purpose; a mere construct! You play up what you are because you have no choice - it's all you CAN be. You're incapable of growing beyond yourself.   
  
'You will NEVER learn; you'll NEVER accomplish anything of worth or value. You will never change what you are: a tool; an obsolete weapon, a device whose time has passed.' The last sentence came out like a curse.  
  
Amidst Ryoko's fury, something snapped. There was a sudden, powerful rush of deep shame. An awful charagin; a terrifying fear.   
  
A fear of being wrong.  
  
A fear of Ayeka being right.   
  
A fear of being a soulless demon, without compassion; without companions.   
  
A fear of the dark; a fear of being alone; a fear of being cold...   
  
Please, stop, Ayeka. You're really hurting me.  
  
I can't change the past; I can only try to live a better future.  
  
I spent 700 years in a cold, dark, damp cave.  
  
700 years . . . Is it REALLY that long? Ryoko's thoughts went back to when she disarmed Mihoshe. How intimidating her body had looked; how she had marvelled that Sasami could care about her.   
  
Ever since Ryoko had learned the truth about Sasami's heritage, some dark corner of her mind had wrestled long and hard with the knowledge that she had been responsible.  
  
Every time she saw that happy, laughing, smiling face. Every time Ryoko had patted her on the head. Every time she had held the child close...   
  
I'm not LIKE that anymore. I could NEVER harm Sasami - not now. I love her! I'd DIE to protect her.  
  
But that image of herself - tall and dark; menacing and threatening - wouldn't go away. In this body, in this mind, Ryoko's thoughts had nowhere to hide, not with Ayeka focusing her upon it. It just wouldn't go away.  
  
Is Ayeka right? AM I beyond redemption?  
  
But . . . if I HADN'T attacked Jurai, Yosho would never have tracked me here. He would never have married Tenchi's grandma; Tenchi may well have never existed...  
  
Would me and Ayeka be prepared to sacrifice Tenchi's existence, so that Sasami was never hurt? Ryoko doubted that could be possible.  
  
But if Yosho hadn't left Jurai he would've married Ayeka. What of the strife he feared his succession would cause? Jurai may have lapsed into civil war if Ryoko's actions had not removed Yosho from Jurai's political scene.  
  
Maybe it was preordained. Maybe Sasami was always MEANT to join with Tsunami.  
  
And if it HAD happened differently.... I'd still be Kagato's soulless puppet. Yosho may have found some other excuse to escape to Earth, but I would have remained as I was. Forever...   
  
Am I selfish to sacrifice Sasami to Tsunami, to be the way that I am, and with Tenchi also?  
  
Ryoko realised that if Yosho HAD gone to Earth anyway Kagato would've likely destroyed Earth when he'd attacked, captured Ayeka and Sasami both, and perhaps even captured Tsunami. Yosho and Tenchi would've been killed on Earth.   
  
Who knows? Perhaps even by me. And Washu was already his prisoner...  
  
No. Ryoko knew events could never have been allowed to happen that way. The thought of herself laughing as she ran her sword through Tenchi was so blackly terrifying she squeezed her eyes shut and shivered against the vision. She would not - COULD not - believe that was possible. Her actions may not have been intentional, but they may well have saved the galaxy from erupting into violence, and the lives of the people she loved.   
  
Her family. Sasami included.  
  
Attacking Jurai was the best thing I could've done for everybody. It brought us all together HERE. We were MEANT to be here together. We were MEANT to find each other! If Sasami herself understood that, I'm sure she'd make the sacrifice all over again willingly.  
  
Ryoko had served her time. She had done 700 years in solitary. All the warrant's on her had expired - she was FREE.  
  
Innocent and FREE.  
  
I'm free to choose, to go where I will, to carve a new life out for myself.  
  
And Ryoko chose to be HERE.   
  
This is my place now. This is where I belong. We ALL do. I belong here, with Tenchi, AND Ayeka, and everybody else too.  
  
Ryoko/Sasami broke out of her reverie. She had never felt such a thrill of excitement, such compassion, not just for those around her, but for AYEKA of all people! The princess had help clarify it all for her. Ayeka had forced Ryoko to confront the demons of her past - and she had passed the test.  
  
'I'm GLAD I attacked Jurai,' Ryoko blurted out. 'I'll NEVER regret it. It was the BEST thing I've EVER done.'  
  
* * *  
  
Back in Washu's Lab, a very worried cabbit had snuck in searching for Sasami.  
  
'I'm sorry, Ryo-Ohki,' Kiyone explained, 'but Sasami's not here. After dropping our lunches off she asked me if she could go to my room to change before dinner.'   
  
'Miya! Mee mee!' Ryo-Ohki pleaded with a concerned expression.  
  
Kiyone had been so busy helping Washu that she'd only been able to keep brief tabs on what was going on outside, but the cabbit's worried expression roused her concerns enough for her to go back to the monitoring station and keep an eye on Ryoko and Ayeka whilst she ate.  
  
Kiyone had imagined that being in Tenchi's body would be one of the most difficult and embarrassing experiences of her life, but it seemed that after all Mihoshe had put Kiyone through that swapping bodies was proving about as alarming as being caught out in the rain without an umbrella. It was this clarity of thought that now kicked Kiyone's mental processes into overdrive.   
  
She KNEW Ryoko. More importantly she clearly understood the context Ryoko had meant to place on what she had just said. But if Ayeka's expression was anything to go by, the Jurian Princess had missed the plot completely.  
  
So, Kiyone's lunch scattered in all directions as she tore herself out of her seat, yelling: 'WASHU! We have a BIG problem!!'  
  
* * *  
  
Ayeka was so stunned by Ryoko's words, her mind virtually seized up. In the nearly two years since she had arrived on Earth, the princess had witnessed the transformation of Ryoko from mindless automaton to to a passionate, loyal, almost likeable person.  
  
As far as the pirate's attack on Jurai went, Ayeka had virtually forgiven her, even despite what Sasami had suffered. Even now, she wondered why she had raised it in the first place. She had, after all, come to Earth expecting to find Ryoko, the demon. What she had found was Ryoko, the person.  
  
And even though she could never admit it, even to herself, she had grown to care for this outrageous woman. It wasn't really Ryoko's personality that Ayeka had a problem with.  
  
It was her body.  
  
The body of the monster that had hurt her precious, dear, beloved little sister.  
  
THAT was what Ayeka hated. Not the almost warm-hearted personality that had taken root in it.   
  
That personality had been the dam that prevented Ayeka's feelings for the body rushing out. Ryoko's playful innocence, her teasing nature. On that level Ayeka loved Ryoko as deeply as she had cared for anyone.  
  
But with Ryoko's mind seperated from her body, the dam had been broken, and Ayeka's long buried feelings had begun to surface. Every ounce of pain and loss Ayeka had endured since those dark days on Jurai, it was all rushing through her. A last release of a deep, long held resentment; a purge of darkness. The death of a hate that no longer had a purpose. Those feelings were now pouring forth, and they had just run smack into Ryoko's last words like a freight train slamming into a mountain side.   
  
Ryoko had just done the emotional and verbal equivalent of throwing petrol on a fire.  
  
What she saw on Ryoko/Sasami's face was not beloved revelation, but a smug, haughty defiance; a proud and unbowed criminal; untouchable by authority; greedy and selfish. Ayeka's heart was torn by a sudden, agonising sense of betrayl. This person she had begun to trust, to care for - had it been an act all along?  
  
Of course it hadn't, but Ayeka was too wrapped up in her own grief to realise it. All rational thought was swept away in the tornado of twisted emotion. Ryoko had humiliated her once more, and it left Ayeka with only one emotional option left to deal with this casual, blasé demon.  
  
She went berserk.  
  
In Washu's body, Ayeka was only a head taller than Sasami, but either Washu's body had greater strength than Ryoko/Sasami anticipated, or Ayeka's fury had lifted her strength to new heights. For the second time that day, Ryoko found herself being bodily hauled of her feet.  
  
'You! YOU -!!' Words failed her. Nothing gets under that precious skin of yours, demon! Well perhaps this will! It's all you understand. It's time your pride took a beating!!  
  
Ryoko/Sasami shrieked in alarm as Ayeka tipped her upside down. Ayeka/Washu's left arm coiled around Ryoko/Sasami's waist and held her with frightening force. With her right hand free, Ayeka began tanning Ryoko's hide.  
  
Ryoko yelped, more in surprise than anything else. But the numbing sensation of the slap was quickly followed by a painful stinging. Ryoko writhed furiously in Ayeka's grasp, twisting like an eel, frantically trying to ward off another blow.  
  
It was quite futile. Ayeka brought her hand down again, harder this time, although she was being far from savage. Every humiliation, every taunt, every ounce of pain Ryoko had inflicted upon Ayeka burned her mind with a maddening intensity.  
  
She would NOT tolerate it any more.  
  
'Ayeka!' Ryoko bawled. 'Stop! Please! Stop!!' She cried out loudly as Ayeka smacked her again.  
  
'You!' Ayeka cried. 'All you ever do is hurt people I care about! You took EVERYTHING from me! And for once in your life you're going to care about that!' Her hand slipped from Ryoko/Sasami's waist, and the pirate/princess struck her head on the floor. Ayeka reached down to re-secure her grip.  
  
There was a wrenching pain in Ayeka's wrist, and she pulled back her hand, twisting it out of the vice-like grip of Ryoko's teeth. Ryoko had bitten her hand. Even as Ayeka pulled away a streak of blood hit the carpet.  
  
Ayeka shrieked in shock and surprise, and Ryoko tumbled the rest of the way to the floor. In an almost crab-like movement, the pirate/princess spun on her hands and feet to face her adversary.  
  
Ryoko/Sasami's lips were bloody and a streak of red stained the front of her robes. The child's face was streaked with tears; her face burned red with furious humiliation. All thoughts of sympathy and kinship were gone. All she considered was little Goddess Ayeka,   
arrogant with her power.  
  
'I - HATE - YOU.'  
  
The words were a cold, poisonous hiss that chilled Ayeka to the very core of her being. Those bright pink eyes glowed with primal emotion, hard as steel; cold as ice. The face of her little sister had become the mask of a monster.  
  
The vision lasted only a moment. In that second, Ryoko/Sasami spun like a hunted animal and flung the patio doors apart so hard that one shattered. A cool blast of air came in from the chill evening and Sasami's body scampered off into the dusk.  
  
It took a moment for Ayeka to find her voice.  
  
'Wait - WAIT!! Sasami! SASAMI!!' Ayeka went to run after her, but she seemed to stumble; she had caught her foot on the table cloth. By the time she shook it off, Sasami was lost from view.  
  
For a moment, Ayeka did nothing. Then, she was wracked by a deep sob; her shoulders collapsed and she sank to her knees. She buried her face in her hands and cried.  
  
'Sasami,' she whispered. 'Ryoko. I'm SORRY! I didn't mean it! Forgive me! Oh, Jurian Suns, forgive me.' Ayeka raised her head a little; saw the dark, smeared blood on her hands and felt the stickiness on her right cheek. Ayeka had almost forgotten the wound for the nerves had become numb. Almost the entire hand was caked in drying blood, and the lower part of the sleeve was stiff. There was a dark brown stain on the floor.  
  
A thundering of footsteps behind her, did not rouse Ayeka from her position. Nor did the startled gasp.  
  
'Ayeka!' It was Tenchi's voice.  
  
That DID rouse her. She spun sharply; saw Tenchi; caught the blurred visage of a red clad figure as she hurled herself at him.  
  
'Tenchiii!!!' Ayeka flung her arms around his waist and began to sob into his chest. His arms clung awkwardly to her.  
  
'Ayeka!' This voice jolted her even more; it was her OWN.  
  
She pulled up and away from Tenchi, her face flushing in embarrassment. 'Oh, my!' she said, covering her eyes with her hands. 'Kiyone, forgive me! I - I just forgot.'  
  
'It's all right, Ayeka. Where's Ryoko?'  
  
Ayeka was silent. Hands tore at her, spun her around. She found herself looking into her own face. A face of stern judgement; almost a face of accusation.  
  
'Ayeka!' Washu/Ayeka pleaded. 'WHERE is Ryoko??'  
  
The breath tumbled out of Ayeka, and she sagged in on herself again. 'Ryoko's gone,' she said simply.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 5 


	7. Hunted Soul

Here's the usual disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi, it's characters, or anything else about it. This story comes out of respect for the creator's and distributors of this impressive anime show. Please don't sue me, 'cos I'm kinda broke. ^^;  
  
Reviews, thoughts and opinions, comments and suggestions, can be posted up at Fanfiction.net or sent to me direct at mccpcorn@hotmail.com. Enjoy!!  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Ryoko/Sasami)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone has found herself stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is sobering up in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
The Story so Far: Ryoko and Ayeka have had a major argument resulting in the Space Pirate leaving the house. As the others decide what to do, Washu reveals they may all be in much greater danger than first thought...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER 6: Hunted Soul  
======================  
  
A small figure tore it's way through, the gathering gloom of dusk. Dark. Hunted.  
  
Scared...  
  
The trees loomed large about Ryoko when she finally stopped running. In Sasami's small body, they towered threateningly above her, and without her ability to fly Ryoko could assume no dominance.  
  
So she started running again.  
  
She wanted to be as far away from Ayeka as possible.  
  
And the others.  
  
HOW could she have been so stupid? HOW could she have fooled herself into thinking that anybody in that house cared for her? She was all bravado, and they knew it. They'd just been waiting for the right moment; the chance to pierce her armour.  
  
Ryoko didn't hear the sobs rising from her own throat. She didn't feel the tears stinging her eyes. The wind was cold - THAT'S what was blurring her vision she told herself. The high pitched moan of her own voice was lost in the rising wind.  
  
The trees towered over her, rattling in the wind, but Ryoko didn't seem them. All she saw were hundreds of Jurians, standing tall and proud, bruising her with mocking laughter.  
  
Jurians! I don't need you OR your damn trees!  
  
Ryoko paused a moment and looked up; she spun herself around, glaring at gnarled, hated trees.  
  
'You can take you Light Hawk Wings and SHOVE 'EM!!!'  
  
* * *  
  
Washu - or rather her body - sat on the couch. Her eyes held a grief-stricken, yet dazed expression. Her right arm was outstretched. Ayeka, kneeling beside her, held a regenerative probe against a deep gash between the ring and forefingers.   
  
Kiyone stood behind the couch, her arms wrapped protectively around Washu's shoulders. Ryo-Ohki was perched anxiously on Kiyone's right shoulder. Ryoko sat at the foot of the couch by Washu's feet, her legs drawn up and her arms drawn tightly about them. By the glass doors, Tenchi and Mihoshe had finished securing some plywood to a shattered frame; a box of broken glass shards stood nearby. On the table sat several bowls of rice, all untouched.  
  
Washu/Ayeka finished with the probe. 'That's it,' she announced. 'It'll be a bit stiff for a few days; Ryoko almost bit clean through the ligaments.' The scientist sighed. 'I guess that's payback for me ruining your manicure,' she muttered under her breath.  
  
Ayeka/Washu just stared vacantly out into space. 'I just don't understand it,' she said quietly, for at least the dozenth time. 'I am just not like that; how could I have acted so? What kind of monster is hiding inside of me that I could do such a thing...?'  
  
'Ayeka, it wasn't your fault,' Sasami/Kiyone said, pulling her arms tighter around her sister. 'It's just one of those things; stuff like this - well, it just happens sometimes.'  
  
'Of course it's my fault,' Ayeka snapped. 'I should've known better; I should not have lost my temper.'  
  
Washu sighed again as she got to her feet. 'Ayeka, You've never had a reason NOT to lose you temper with Ryoko. Arguing with her is as natural to you as breathing; you do it without thinking.' The scientist stretched.  
  
'It's not Ryoko as she is, but Ryoko as she WAS. That image of her in your mind, laying waste to Jurai, it represents a deep trauma. But the Ryoko you encountered here isn't the Ryoko who attacked Jurai. This Ryoko is passionate, loyal, loving and caring in her own way; even protective.'  
  
'But why NOW?' Ayeka pleaded weakly. 'Why attack Ryoko's personality if that was not what I resented!?'  
  
'Because she never gave you something that you could seriously react to before, to allow that lingering resentment it's release. What she said, it wasn't the cause, it was just the trigger.' Washu glanced over to where Tenchi/Mihoshe was gazing out into the gathering darkness. 'Anything?'  
  
'Nothing,' Kiyone/Tenchi reported neutrally. 'She could be miles away by now.'  
  
Washu snorted defiantly. 'Not on those little legs she wont be. We'll find her.' Washu cast a sudden, sheepish look at Sasami/Kiyone. 'No offence.'  
  
Sasami/Kiyone smiled. 'That's okay.'  
  
Tenchi continued to stare through the glass door into the fading light, but always one eye was fixed on the reflection of the living room, where Ayeka was sitting. As he studied her, he could perceive the deep guilt and shame she was experiencing.  
  
He found himself wondering: What HAD driven Ayeka to take such an action, one so completely out of character?  
  
The answer was obvious enough; Ayeka was no longer COMPLETELY Ayeka.  
  
It was something they had all experienced. The emotional 'masks' they all usually wore had slipped, leaving them vulnerable.   
  
But in Ayeka's case the mask had come completely apart. Her long buried feelings of resentment had no longer been constrained by their usual barriers. And if Washu was right, Ryoko could soon follow suit - with disastrous results.  
  
Whereas Sasami and her mother, Misaki, were very similar (though Sasami was slightly more level-headed), Ayeka was the product of her life; a life of loss and loneliness; perhaps even torment. Tenchi believed that the Crown Princess had not always been as she now was; assuming the title of heir apparent in the absence of her elder brother was just one of the forces that had influenced her behaviour.  
  
Ayeka was a young woman; desperate to be desirable, yet fearful of growing outside the shell that had partly been built up about her by others, and which she had partly drawn around herself. Tenchi himself knew that Ayeka longed for a sense of freedom and normalcy, just as Yosho had. Must run in the family.  
  
Perhaps Ryoko had sensed that. Perhaps the pirate had known that, beneath the duty and the decorum, the protocol and the responsibility, there WAS a someone with a life to lead.   
  
They're sisters, Tenchi realised. Who else but sisters could fight and bicker so? How else would they know EXACTLY how to get under each others' skin? Tenchi knew that only the closest of people could that.   
  
Ryoko and Ayeka fought because they cared; more than that, it was the only way they could SHOW that they cared.   
  
Ryoko constantly tried to get Ayeka to let go and live. The space pirate always played things fast and loose and must've felt Ayeka was missing out on too much fun.   
  
In contrast Ayeka believed Ryoko was TOO fast, and was constantly trying to get the pirate to slow down. The Jurian didn't think Ryoko stopped long enough to appreciate the depth and texture of life and what it had to offer. Ryoko wasn't doing herself justice, and by failing to explore her true potential she was short changing herself.  
  
Ryoko was broad, but shallow. Ayeka was deep, but closed.  
  
And they were BOTH right.  
  
It was a revelation for Tenchi, but it did precious little to solve the problem at hand.  
  
'The process is starting to reverse itself naturally,' Washu was saying. Kiyone/Tenchi folded her/his arms. 'I take it from your expression that this is not good?'  
  
The scientist shook her head vigorously, sending Ayeka's hair splashing from side to side like a cascade of water. 'No, it is NOT good. It seems our brains have retained a sub-conscious imprint of our personalities. This is battling with our conscious minds, trying to surface.  
  
Kiyone was looking less and less pleased. 'You're saying the bodies we inhabit are rejecting us, our personalities?'  
  
Washu nodded. 'We're losing track of who we are as our identity blurs into the personality imprint of the host brain. Our personalities are being eroded; we're developing personality disorders.' Washu gave the group an ominous look. 'And out of all of us, Ryoko is in the gravest danger.'  
  
'Ryoko?'  
  
'Yes. She has the least developed emotions of anyone else here, and being inside a child's body will only blur the lines for her even more. If we don't get her back into her own body soon, she could suffer a massive mental trauma.'  
  
'What's that in plainspeak?' Tenchi/Mihoshe asked.  
  
Washu gritted her teeth. 'Ryoko has an extremely fragile ego,' she explained with clearly strained patience. 'You've seen the way she acts; You've seen the way she behaves. It's not that she doesn't care; she's just selfish; irresponsible.  
  
'Ryoko's still a child Tenchi; a great big playful child. She's still coming to terms with having feelings and emotions, and being trapped in Sasami's body is causing her sense of self - her very identity - to be destroyed. Under this kind of pressure, her entire personality could disintegrate if we don't find her soon. She could even have a nervous breakdown.'  
  
Ayeka flushed. 'Washu, please! I feel guilty enough already.'  
  
Washu grimaced with embarrassment. 'I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you. It's not your fault; your outburst was a symptom of exactly the same thing. It was a mix of your own feelings - meaning your own interpretation of Ryoko's behaviour - and what I KNOW about Ryoko.' Washu's gaze swept over the group. 'We're ALL suffering from the same thing, except that our sense of self - our egos - are strong enough to withstand it, at least for now.'  
  
'But Ryoko's...' Kiyone began softly.  
  
Washu nodded. 'It could take years to put right if we're too late. We'd have to rebuild her personality from scratch. And you know,' Washu's voice almost cracked, 'she'd never be quite the same again.'  
  
It didn't take much skill to read Washu's thoughts; she was deeply shaken by all of this. But again Tenchi's thoughts were for Ayeka.   
  
If Tenchi's earlier thoughts were true then Ayeka had been suffering an identity crisis of her own, even before all this had happened, that had left her especially vulnerable to Ryoko's outburst. There would be the Ayeka who was Crown Princess of Jurai, then the Miss Ayeka who had built a life for herself on Earth, and had developed a certain degree of trust, respect, and even fondness for Ryoko.  
  
The thought that both Ayeka AND Ryoko were in danger galvanised Tenchi. 'We can't wait,' he said firmly - or at least as firmly as he could with Mihoshe's voice. 'If Ryoko's in that much danger then we have to go look for her - right now.'  
  
'I agree completely,' Washu said. 'With Ryoko as distraught as she is-' Ayeka winced '-she wont be able to protect her self-identity. And there are many PHYSICAL dangers out there a child needs to beware of.'  
  
'Is there anything we can do to protect ourselves in the meantime?' Kiyone asked.  
  
'Just focus your mental energies on yourselves: who you are, what you do, and how you do it. Also knowledge, wisdom, experience; ANYTHING that defines who you are can be used to reinforce your self-identity.   
  
'We can overcome a lot of the symptoms if we concentrate, and when we get Ryoko back I'll run us all through the Personality Transference Transceiver. No offence Ayeka, but I don't fancy taking an imprint of your personality back with me into my OWN body - that would be almost as bad as the situation we're already in.  
  
'I reckon we should spilt up into 3 teams. Ayeka and Sasami can search the forest around the steps and up to the shrine. Kiyone and Mihoshe would be best checking the cave. Me and Tenchi will check stuff out by the lake.'  
  
* * *  
  
Six figures emerged from the Masaki household just as the last glow of day faded from the sky. The moon was high and waxing; it's light reflected eerily against the gathering clouds in the east. The air was hot and thick with suspense and tension. The trees stood like a brittle grim wall, about half a mile away, and in the silver light Funaho could be glimpsed in the distance on their left. Far on the right was the rugged, tree strewn slope the led up to Ryoko's cave.  
  
'When do we meet back up?' Kiyone asked.  
  
'As soon as one of us finds a sign of Ryoko,' Washu reported.  
  
'What if we don't find anything?' Sasami asked. Perched on her shoulder, Ryo-Ohki stared sadly out into the gloom.  
  
'We don't quit until we find SOME sign of her,' Tenchi replied flatly.  
  
With that last comment, the group broke up into pairs and dispersed.  
  
-----  
  
END OF CHAPTER 6 


	8. Trial by Storm

Here's the usual disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi, it's characters, or anything else about it. It is the creative and distributive property of Masaki Kajishima, AIC and Pioneer. This story comes out of respect for them and this impressive anime show. Please don't sue me, cos I'm broke. Just kick back and enjoy the story!  
  
Reviews are welcome as always. You can post them up at Fanfiction.net and also contact me via mccpcorn@hotmail.com. My thanks to all who have responded so far. I will do my best to return the favour but as you can imagine this story is a pretty big project and it takes up most of my free time. ^^;;;  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Ryoko/Sasami)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone's stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
The Story so Far: After a fight with Ayeka, Ryoko is missing in the forest. Concerned for her safety the gang have gone looking for her...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER SEVEN: TRIAL BY STORM  
=============================  
  
Kiyone and Mihoshe had thoroughly searched the area immediately around Ryoko's cave without finding as much as a Sasami-sized boot-print. With night now firmly entrenched about them the GP Officers made their way around to the cave's entrance.  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko shivered. 'There's a storm coming.'  
  
Kiyone/Tenchi cast a doubtful look at the ever-thickening clouds. 'What makes you so certain?'  
  
Mihoshe shivered again. 'I dunno,' she admitted. 'I just know.'  
  
Kiyone looked at her partner for a moment, trying to fit Mihoshe's features to the green-eyed, cyan haired profile that seemed to swim in the gloom before her as they walked. 'Oh,' she replied simply, turning her thoughts back to matters in hand.  
  
The entrance to Ryoko's cave now loomed sullenly before them. 'What a place,' Kiyone thought aloud as she shone her flashlight around the entrance. The gate was firmly shut, it's padlock and chain clearly visible in the revealing beam of her flashlight.  
  
'Looks like Ryoko didn't come this way,' Mihoshe sighed.  
  
We'll see,' Kiyone replied as she pulled a key-ring from Tenchi's belt. 'In Sasami's body, Ryoko may have been able to climb the gate and squeeze through that gap at the top,' Kiyone pointed her flashlight up to reveal that the gate wasn't snug with the roof of the cave. 'She may even have been able to squeeze through these bars if she were desperate enough.'  
  
Kiyone didn't really believe that, but she was determined to make as thorough job as possible in searching the cave, if only for her own peace of mind. So it was with an odd sense of deja-vu that Kiyone slipped the correct key into the padlock and clicked it open.  
  
The gate suddenly jerked away from Kiyone's hand, and she jumped back with a startled 'Ah!' as it was opened from the OTHER side.  
  
'Come on,' Mihoshe/Ryoko said with nervous impatience. 'Let's hurry; the others may need us, you know.'  
  
'Blast it, Mihoshe!' Kiyone ground out through clenched teeth. 'You could've WARNED me before you decided to teleport through the gate!'  
  
'Sorree...'  
  
Kiyone followed Mihoshe into the cave.  
  
* * *  
  
'How about your telepathic link to Ryoko?' Tenchi was asking as he swung his flashlight around the stepping stones at the feet of Funaho's roots. 'Can you detect anything through that?'  
  
'Not really,' was Washu's distracted reply. Tenchi turned to see the scientist adjusting a strange, binocular-like device on her head.  
  
'What is that?'  
  
'Night scope,' Washu/Ayeka replied absently. 'Shine your torch at the lake's surface, could you?'  
  
'Um, wont the extra light blank out your night vision?'  
  
'Not this device. It will use the extra photons to make an accurate 3D map of the lake floor.'  
  
'What could you hope to find with that??'  
  
There was the barest pause. 'A body.'  
  
A cold feeling settled in the pit of Tenchi's stomach as Washu continued mechanically: 'If she fell in, she probably wouldn't have lasted very long. But this water's pretty cold; Sasami's... body will be in no immediate danger. I'll be able to resuscitate it and at least get Sasami's personality back in there.'  
  
'And Ryoko...?'  
  
Again, the mechanical voice served only to conceal, not hide, the tremendous emotional strain the little scientist was clearly under. 'I may be able to build a new personality matrix for her...'  
  
Or you may just choose to let the body die, Tenchi finished for her silently. Grimly, he swung the beam of his flashlight over.  
  
* * *  
  
Ayeka stood at the foot of the steps leading up to the shrine as she pondered her next move. Next to her, Sasami/Kiyone glanced up the steps to where they were swallowed by the gloom.   
  
'The heat trail goes half way up the shrine steps, Princess Ayeka,' Azaka reported. 'From there it turns left into the woods.'  
  
'Can you see where it leads?' Aykea/Washu asked.  
  
'I'm afraid not, Your Highness,' Kamadake announced sadly. 'From the air, the tree cover is just dense.'  
  
'And the much cooler air within the forest would mean a more rapid dissipation of the heat signature,' Azaka finished.  
  
Ayeka considered the report as her two Guardians hung patiently in front of her. Azaka and Kamadake could possibly triangulate a location for Ryoko and transport her and Sasami to that position, but it would be a rough guess at best. Or she could instruct them to inform the other two search parties and bring them here.  
  
A cold speck of rain hit Ayeka's nose, jolting her out of her thoughts. 'Azaka,' she ordered. 'Go and inform Lord Tenchi and Miss Kiyone, then bring each search party here. Kamadake, I want you to monitor mine and Sasami's position so Azaka can bring the others right to us.'  
  
'I will only be able to transport two at a time, Your Highness,' Azaka warned.  
  
Ayeka nodded. 'I understand. Fetch Lord Tenchi and Miss Washu first; they are in open ground and fairly nearby. By the time you return for Miss Kiyone and Miss Mihoshe, they should already have completed their search of the cave and be waiting at or near the entrance.'  
  
'Affirmative,' Azaka replied.   
  
'Confirmed,' Kamadake responded. At once, the two Guardians rose into the sky and departed.  
  
'Come on Sasami,' Ayeka said, trying to still the pounding of her heart. 'Let's get to that middle step.'  
  
* * *  
  
A pale moon; a cold light; a sobbing child.  
  
Ryoko clawed her way through the undergrowth, sometimes stumbling on her hands and knees. A part of her mind wondered why she had chosen the night of a brewing thunderstorm to do this, but the rational thought was quickly overwhelmed by primal emotions. Within Sasami's brain, Ryoko's identity was shrinking rapidly. She was becoming more erratic, less rational, as she began to lose track of herself and her personality began to unravel.  
  
She stumbled once, picked herself up; stumbled again.  
  
Who cares, who cares, who cares!?  
  
WHO cares...?  
  
Ryoko barely felt the cold clammy mud that now clung to Sasami's lower robes; didn't notice as the thorns dug into her hands, scraped at her cheeks, tore into her clothes. The wind numbed her senses as she longed for it to numb her mind of the stinging, humiliating memories.  
  
It kept coming back again and again. The way Washu/Ayeka had plucked her off her feet and dumped her in the living room.  
  
"Now you stay here, CHILD. Or I will tan your hide so bad the only thing you'll be able to sit down on is a block of ice!"  
  
Washu's words. Her exact words... Just a child. I'm just a bad little girl...  
  
No sense of responsibility; no sense of honour. Just a no-good demon who no-one gave a damn about.   
  
Why have I even bothered to KID myself for so long? Tenchi doesn't love me - he's INCAPABLE of loving me!  
  
The shattered fragments of Ryoko's mind continued to throw unwanted memories to the surface. Buildings exploded on Planet Jurai; people scattered, running and falling.  
  
Falling...  
  
Sasami falling. A child's blood pooling around a broken body...  
  
'NO!!!' Ryoko screamed.   
  
Ryoko/Sasami fell to her knees, clutching her head. She fell down on the ground, her body wracked with painful sobs.  
  
'GET OUT OF MY HEAD, DAMN YOU!!!'   
  
I didn't mean it! I didn't want to!! Kagato MADE me do it!  
  
But a vicious voice snarled back at her through her mind: You ENJOYED it! You laughed at their weakness! Jurai with all it's arrogance, laid low at last!  
  
NO! I'd never hurt Sasami! She's an innocent child! I never MEANT her to get hurt!  
  
The voice just laughed.  
  
'Please, no!' she called out weakly. 'Enough! Please, no more! I'm sorry! I'm SO sorry! Please...' her voice trailed off and she began sobbing again.  
  
I never meant it! I never meant to hurt her...  
  
The thought spun away in her mind as Ryoko lost consciousness.  
  
* * *  
  
The ground near the shrine steps was rather stony, and for a few minutes Ayeka and Sasami lost Ryoko's trail when they entered the forest. But then Sasami spotted a small but deep boot-print in the soft earth, and the sisters began to make good progress.  
  
But Ayeka was far from satisfied.  
  
'Sasami had a half hour start on us at least,' she muttered to herself. 'She could be miles away by now, or anything could've happened to her.'  
  
'Ayeka, I'm HERE,' Sasami/Kiyone reminded her sister. 'We're looking for Ryoko, remember?'  
  
Ayeka seemed to pause a moment, just ahead of Sasami. 'Yes, of course, Sasami,' Ayeka/Washu answered as she resumed walking. 'I'm sorry.'  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko struggled to her feet. She could have slept for 10 minutes or 700 years; she didn't know and didn't care. All she cared about was getting away.  
  
The dreams haunted her; memories tortured her. Things she had buried for so long now rose accusingly in her mind.  
  
"Now you stay here, CHILD..."  
  
"You - you DEMON! Nothing gets under that precious skin of yours!" Ryoko thought she could still feel Ayeka's hand stinging her bottom. Her face burned with the pain and humiliation as it all came rushing back to her.  
  
"It's time your pride took a beating!"  
  
700 years in a cold, damp cave. All alone. Unloved, unwanted.  
  
Forgotten.  
  
I dun wanna be cold... Mommy, I dun WANNA be cold...  
  
Mommy...?  
  
Where did THAT come from?  
  
Please dun leave me on my own; please Mommy!  
  
But I dun HAVE a mommy.... I'm just a construct; an artefact. Just like Ayeka said...)  
  
But wasn't Washu her mother?  
  
But what kind of mother tried to steal away her daughter's boyfriend?  
  
Oh, yeah... Tenchi really isn't my boyfriend. He probably can't stand the sight of me.  
  
Ryoko squeezed her eyes shut; fresh tears ran down Sasami's cheeks as the random memory surfaced; her conversation with Ayeka in the bath, right before Kagato attacked.  
  
"Now he treats me as though I'm some sort of monster..."  
  
I AM a monster...  
  
"One day I hoped we'd play together..."  
  
I wanted to play with him so bad... just once. If only he'd have played with me just ONCE.... Ryoko began sobbing again. The ever shrinking part of her mind that was still rational, wondered gravely why emotions were so painful. Just once...  
  
Then she got up and started running again.  
  
* * *  
  
As they progressed, Ayeka and Sasami found the weather increasingly erratic and uncooperative. Rain was now dribbling down heavily through the leaf canopy; the ground became boggy and treacherous, and their footing became uncertain.   
  
Ryoko's deeper boot-prints filled with water until they were virtually indistinguisable from regular puddles and indentations. In places where the ground was firmer matters were little better as the pirate's footfalls were quite light, and so the rain quickly washed their traces away. On top of that the ground was also torn up with old roots. These became slippery in the rain; hard to spot and dangerous to cross.  
  
Ayeka began to despair. 'This rain will wash Ryoko's trail clean away; it's already difficult to follow.'  
  
'Don't worry, Ayeka,' Sasami answered in an oddly calm voice. 'We'll find her. I know we will.'  
  
Ayeka half turned. 'Well, if you believe it, I will try to also.'  
  
'It's not a belief,' Sasami said, almost dreamily. 'I just feel that's she's nearer than you think she is.' She looked quickly at Ayeka, saw her sister's intense gaze upon her, and quickly lowered her head. 'It's just a feeling,' she ended, rather lamely.  
  
* * *  
  
"You MURDERED Sasami! Do you care? No! Did you care THEN? No! Did you care when you threatened her life aboard my ship when I first arrived on Earth? No!  
  
"You don't care! You've never CARED! It's all you you you you you!"  
  
The cold mud squelched around Sasami's small fingers. Did Ryoko care?   
  
NO! Why SHOULD she!?  
  
'Why SHOULD I?!?' she screamed. 'I don't care! No-one cares about me! Why should I!?!'  
  
Care about others? Care about herself?  
  
Why SHOULD she care about herself? No-one would miss her - why WOULD they miss her? She was only Ryoko.  
  
Only Ryoko....  
  
700 years. The figure haunted her.   
  
Hadn't she suffered enough? Had she not BEEN punished? The warrants were gone; she was free to go where she would - Except that Sasami would miss Ryo-Ohki....  
  
Sasami....  
  
No, not again! Ryoko moaned to herself as it began to start all over again. She stumbled, virtually blind through the undergrowth, hands clutching the sides of her head, whimpering softly. Her mind was stuck like a record; playing the same moments over and over again and slowly but surely pulling her remaining sanity apart.   
  
It was only a gentle slope but it caught Ryoko/Sasami completely off guard. All of a sudden she was skating across the ground on a mat of slippery leaves. Unable to stop, Ryoko grasped vainly at passing twigs and branches which scratched at her hands and forearms. A moment later Ryoko found herself spinning wildly in the open air, her arms flailing. There was a thud as she landed and tumbled end over end into a knot of harsh grass.  
  
A sudden flash made Ryoko/Sasami's pink eyes wince in pain. A few moments later came the great rolling rumble of thunder.   
  
And then the rain REALLY began coming down.  
  
Ryoko/Sasami pulled herself weakly to her knees. Her stomach ached; she dully realised that she had not eaten since that morning - even if it HAD been three lunches. Again, Ayeka/Washu's accusing face drifted up into her mind. She tried to shut the memory off, but the lightning did the job for her as it lit up where she stood and shattered the mental image into glittering fragments.  
  
Her head throbbed from the impact, but Ryoko didn't realise she'd cut her head because her tangled, matted hair stuck to the wound and soaked up the blood. In any case, the pain served as a useful distraction, and she found that she could take a moment to see where she was.  
  
She appeared to be in a dry river, or channel, marked with a tangle of tree roots, dead leaves and broken branches. The sides were made of steep, loose earth, with rough grass and stones jutting from it. A few inches from her left boot, rainwater was pooling, moving sluggishly as the creek began to fill from the downpour.  
  
Wearily, Ryoko/Sasami struggled back to her feet and tried clambering back up. But with the ground so soft and loose, hauling herself up was a vain effort; mud squelched around Sasami's small fingers, and came away in big clumps as she clawed at it. After a few desperate moments' scrabbling, she slithered back down into the channel.  
  
Ryoko took a moment to examine herself. She was soaked clean through from the pouring rain, and plastered with mud. Her sleeves were so badly torn as to be reduced to rags. Dark black marks on her arms, face and hands, revealed cuts and grazes and scratches, all of which now stung with the touch of cold mud.  
  
Although Ryoko did not realise it, the problem of getting out of the channel was saving her sanity. She was being forced to focus on a challenge, to concentrate on a task. This helped to re-enforce her sense of self as she sought a solution. Her mind began to clear a little, and Ryoko, freelance Space Pirate and part-time Demon, could again be heard inside her head.  
  
There was a nearby tree, clearly ancient, with old, gnarled roots that hung across the creek. A little further up, another tree was similarly positioned. If she could climb up the roots on the near-side tree, she'd be able to use the low branches and twigs as a guide-line to step from one tree to another.  
  
Well, if I can't get back the way I came, maybe I can climb across the roots to the other side.  
  
A fluid-like cold sensation was creeping up Ryoko/Sasami's legs. Looking down, her eyes widened in astonishment and concern. The water was now running much more rapidly through the creek and was steadily rising; in a few minutes it would reach the top of her boots.  
  
'It must feed into a river or something,' she muttered aloud. 'I'd better move fast.'  
  
She'd just reached the tree when the situation went from bad to worse. Weakened somehow in the weather, part of the opposite back slid into the creek with a soft 'plop'. The water began to eat away at the obstacle, but all of a sudden half the channel was blocked. The water began to foam and pool swiftly by Ryoko, rising fast due to the partial dam.  
  
Had she her wits about her, Ryoko would've simply scurried along to the other side of the blockage where the water was low, found another pair of trees and tried out her plan there. She may even have tried to jump onto the dam of earth and scrabble across to the other side.  
  
Instead she panicked.  
  
With the water suddenly rising past her boots and up to her knees, a trembling Ryoko scrabbled quickly for any sort of hold on the tree roots and awkwardly began hauling herself up out of the water.   
  
With her boots now full of water, and her lower clothes sodden, the extra weight made her movements sluggish and she found it hard to accurately judge her motions and actions. But after a few false starts, Ryoko found herself clinging to a large root overhanging the channel. She held on grimly by her arms and legs tightening her grip as she saw the torrent of water now rushing by just a few feet below her.  
  
'Gotta make a move,' she said to herself, glancing upwards. There was nothing really suitable above her that she could grab hold of, but if she could make it a little further down her perch she should be able to make a grab for one of the branches on the opposite bank.  
  
Trembling, Ryoko/Sasami began to slowly turn herself around on the root so that she was facing towards her target. Fuelled by the images of Sasami's wounded arms, Ryoko's memories were starting to invade her mind again. The voice was laughing at her.  
  
And you said you never meant to hurt Sasami! LOOK at what you've done to her! Look at her scarred arms! The poor child's been cut to ribbons! Do you ENJOY hurting little kids or something? Maybe it's your destiny to inflict pain on Sasami?  
  
'No!' Ryoko/Sasami snarled. She shook her head violently, caught it sharply against the root she clung to. The image exploded in a blinding flash of pain, and she slipped around, almost falling into the creek below.  
  
Breathing through painful sobs, Ryoko began hauling herself painfully back up. Her arms felt weak and were trembling with fatigue, but after a moment that seemed like forever she found herself perched, hands and knees, on the root, with her target branch a few feet ahead and above her.  
  
She reached for it with her right hand, straining to grab hold. But she found herself swaying frighteningly on her perch and brought her hand down again quickly. She tried to take deep breaths, ignoring the rain and rushing water below. A lightning flash streaked across her vision, setting out hideous shapes of torn trees in stark relief.   
  
Ryoko/Sasami squeezed her eyes shut and tried to concentrate. Then, moving carefully, she edged herself a little further down her perch. Locking her knees and feet tightly around the tree-root, she raised her upper body and tried again to grab for the branch. It swung and bobbed, tantalisingly near, yet still just a little out of reach. Cursing softly to herself, Ryoko/Sasami relaxed her knee-grip. Still gripping the tree-root with her feet, she raised her upper legs.  
  
Just as another lightning bolt flashed across her vision.  
  
Ryoko took the glare full in the face. Totally dazzled, she swung drunkenly, her arms flapping around madly in open air. Just as she began to lose her balance and topple forward, her right hand snagged on something hard, rough and wet. She immediately tightened her grip on it, ignoring the fresh pain in her hand. The dull boom of the thunder once more echoed across the sky.  
  
The branch snapped off in her hand.  
  
With her clothes and boots caked in mud, she had no purchase or grip. The sudden lost of balance spun her 180 degrees around her desperate perch, and tipped her head-first towards the torrent below.  
  
And Ryoko screamed.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 7 


	9. GP Interlude

Here's the usual disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi, it's characters, or anything else about it. This story comes out of respect for the creator's and distributors of this impressive anime show. If anyone involved in Tenchi sees this, I only hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Don't sue me, okay!? ^^;  
  
Author Note: The title of this chapter means exactly what it says. It's more or less seperate from the main story and can be skimmed over if the reader chooses. I wrote it mainly because I wanted to give my fave character Kiyone center stage for a bit.   
  
Some of you may find the comedic elements a bit jarring with the drama running through the main story, and so you may want to pass this chapter by. Others may find certain scenes risque or uncomfortable, and again you may feel you want to give it a miss.   
  
The chapter is not gratuitously erotic, nor is it intended to be. Rather it continues the trend of exploring the characters' thoughts, feelings and emotions. You may disagree with the way I've done it, which is why I've given you the option of jumping straight to Chapter 9.  
  
Whatever you decide, I've chosen to leave it in so you can make up your own minds. For those of you who do read it, I hope you enjoy it as much as the other chapters. =D  
  
PS: Any comments/criticisms you have to make can be done via Fanfiction.net or my email mccpcorn@hotmail.com as usual.  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Ryoko/Sasami)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone has found herself stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is getting drunk in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
The Story so Far: Ryoko is missing and in serious danger. But while the others finally head out in the right direction, Mihoshe and Kiyone are still checking out the shrine...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER EIGHT: GP INTERLUDE  
========================  
  
Kiyone had a dark sense of forboding about this whole crazy situation that threatened to overwhelm everyone.   
  
Ever since she had arrived upon Earth Kiyone had found herself seemingly stumbling from one disaster to another. Most would seem comical in retrospect - if Kiyone knew they were just the occasional one off rather than the permanent streak of bad luck that seemed to follow her around. A bad-luck streak that usually had blonde hair, but at the moment was distinctly cyan coloured.  
  
Kiyone/Tenchi sighed heavily to herself/himself, the noise reaching much further than she would've liked; a combination of Tenchi's deeper voice and the echo of the cave. Mihoshe didn't seem to notice though; she seemed far too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice much of anything in fact. For a moment, Kiyone was tempted to prompt her partner to focus on the task in hand, but at the last second she realised how unusual it was to be walking next to a quiet Mihoshe - unusual and pleasant.  
  
I can keep a look out for both of us, she decided with a wry smile, figuring she probably WOULD laugh this whole affair off someday. From the inside of a padded cell maybe...  
  
Kiyone felt an odd dizziness scratching at the back of her mind. It was almost like having a queasy stomach, but somehow the sensation had been transplanted into her head. The effects of the personality transfer must be wearing off faster than Washu thought, Kiyone thought grimly to herself. Setting her jaw, she tried to concentrate harder upon herself and her identity, as well as the task at hand.   
  
This proved no easy task for Kiyone as she spent most of her time trying to keep her mind as far away as possible from the bad dream that was her life on Earth. It wasn't that she didn't LIKE the place; as worlds went Earth was pretty nice. It had fairly stable seasons, some breathtaking scenery, and a night-life a young woman could die for.  
  
But...  
  
Earth's gravity was a tad heavier to what Kiyone was used to. Most days she didn't notice it, but after a long day at work being rushed off her feet, or a particularly stressful time with Mihoshe, Kiyone found herself sometimes feeling far more drained than you'd expect for a young, healthy woman. That, and chronic financial problems wearied her to the point where she saw precious little of that aforementioned night-life.   
  
Then there was Earth's changeable weather, which also hit her hard. Although Earth's seasons were long, distinct and stable, winter really WAS winter, and summer really WAS summer, with all the disadvantages that implied. And of course, she still had to WORK in summer, which usually left her even more tired than usual.  
  
Kiyone had developed a strong attraction to the public baths to counter most of these nuisances. There were few things more relaxing than floating effortlessly in the water, allowing all the aches and pains to melt away. This paradox of her love/hate relationship with Earth strangely mirrored her love/hate relationship with Mihoshe.   
  
And the love/hate relationship with her own life.   
  
After all, Kiyone received NO recognition from ANY of the jobs she'd had on Earth - or even her own career as a GP Officer. For a person who's sole goal in life was to make a real difference to people's lives it had to be the ultimate irony that she languished, seemingly forgotten by her superiors and peers. A dead-end career on a dead-end planet.   
  
And yet the people here who had become her family...  
  
They truly DID appreciate her, in a way that made her heart almost ache with joy. Life on Earth with the friends she had made was about as deep and rich and rewarding an existence as any person could hope to expect. It had come to the point where Kiyone wondered what she would do if she WAS offered a promotion or relocation. On the surface, she couldn't stand Earth and should jump at the chance to move, but underneath...  
  
Kiyone forced the thoughts firmly to the back of her mind. There were more important things to worry about now. But before she buried the thoughts completely, one thing wedged solid in here consciousness for a moment.  
  
This was a world where Kiyone had met people who really DID appreciate her. People who WOULD miss her should she go; people Kiyone would miss also. Kiyone was living two different lives, but they overlapped in a way that made Ayeka's life seem almost simple by comparison.  
  
And Kiyone wanted BOTH her lives.  
  
* * *  
  
Up ahead, Mihoshe/Ryoko walked with ever more faltering steps; Kiyone could see a faint sheen of sweat on her partner's face, yet Mihoshe was trembling as if she were violently cold.  
  
She must be feeling the effects of the personality transfer too, Kiyone realised suddenly. Ryoko's personality is surfacing, trying to assert itself.  
  
And it'd be damn sure Ryoko wouldn't have any fond memories of this place. 'Mihoshe?' Kiyone asked carefully. 'Are you okay?'  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko's head snapped around at the sound of Kiyone/Tenchi's voice, like a startled cat. Her eyes were wide, and Kiyone could now hear her partner's rapid breathing.  
  
'I think so,' Mihoshe responded, but her voice seemed oddly slow and subdued, a stark contrast from her sudden, swift movements. Kiyone placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. 'You know, you can wait outside if you want to...'  
  
'No - no, I'm all right. I just feel kinda hyper for some reason.'  
  
It was obvious that Mihoshe would be ashamed to let her partner down on something as simple as searching a cave, and with her in such a clearly fragile mood, Kiyone was unwilling to push her. Instead she just smiled and nodded. 'Well, as long as you're sure.'  
  
Mihoshe smiled back weakly, clearly welcoming Kiyone's faith in her, and the pair continued on into the main chamber.  
  
Tenchi had once related the story of the cave to Kiyone, and how he had unwittingly released Ryoko from her prison of 700 years. Upon encountering it first hand, she could understand why Ryoko would feel little love for the place. It was dark; lit only by a single feebly burning lamp, probably set there by Yosho, Kiyone realised. The roof was damp with moisture seeping through from the rainstorm outside, and was score-marked where Funaho's roots had withdrawn. Off to the left lay a small stone, seemingly split in two, with some discarded cord by it. A wooden shrine stood empty; from what Kiyone remembered, this was where Sword Tenchi had been stowed.  
  
It was clear from a single glance that no-one was in the chamber, nor could they have hidden long from the two GP Officers. However, directly across from them was a crack in the wall, from which a faint glow emanated. The inner sanctum, Kiyone realised, where Tenchi had found the 'demon' of the Masaki shrine.  
  
Kiyone shone her torch experimentally over the opening, trying to pierce the gloom beyond it. All she could tell for sure was that it sloped away from an angle, and the floor reflected light as if dotted by puddles.  
  
'Well,' she announced. 'Speaking for myself, I don't think Ryoko came here. But we'd best be thorough.' With that, Kiyone took a step over to the crack in the wall.  
  
Kiyone felt a sudden, painful pressure on her right arm as Mihoshe grabbed hold of her. With a startled yelp, Kiyone was flung half-way across the chamber, smashing the shrine to match-wood. The walls were suddenly bathed in an eerie red glow as Ryoko's energy sword flashed into existence.  
  
Wide-eyed and fearful, Kiyone shot a glance at her partner. Ryoko's energy sword was not directed at her; Mihoshe/Ryoko stood in front of the crevice in the wall standing tall and erect, a vacant look in her eyes. She still trembled slightly, a barely seen tremor in the shadows cast by her sword. Mihoshe appeared to be mouthing words silently, but it was all a jumble and Kiyone couldn't read her partner's lips.  
  
Kiyone wondered if entering the cave had triggered some kind of automatic response deep within Ryoko's subconscious, submerging Mihoshe's personality beneath it. For an agonising moment, Kiyone debated whether trying to get Mihoshe to come to her senses would only make the situation worse.  
  
The debate was swiftly ended when Kiyone/Tenchi saw Mihoshe/Ryoko raise her free arm and begin gathering a photon blast to fire at the wall.  
  
'Mihoshe, NO!!!' Kiyone somehow had her feet under her in less than half a second; a combination of Tenchi's greater strength and tolerance of Earth's gravity. Literally launching herself across the chamber, Kiyone used Tenchi's extra weight and muscle to send herself slamming hard into Mihoshe/Ryoko's left shoulder, spinning the two of them around. The still forming photon blast discharged prematurely at the ceiling.  
  
Kiyone squeezed her eyes shut at the sudden, painful, flash of light. There was a dull thud, like a muted bang, followed by a tumbling or rushing noise. The chamber was suddenly thick full of dust or smoke and both GP Officers found themselves gasping and choking for air.  
  
Mihoshe was on all fours, her head bent low. 'Kiyone!' she gasped. 'What's going on? What happened?'  
  
Kiyone wiped at the dust on her face, in her eyes. 'You don't remember?' she demanded, struggling to hold onto her temper.  
  
'It's hazy,' Mihoshe admitted in a trembling voice. 'Everything went fuzzy, like I was having a nice warm dream, and then you crashed into me...' Her eyes went wide suddenly. 'Kiyone! Oh no!'  
  
'That's right,' Kiyone confirmed grimly as she struggled to her knees. 'You were getting ready to take a pot shot at the wall.'  
  
'I - I got scared,' Mihoshe almost sobbed. 'I suddenly felt very cold and alone. I dunno why; I just didn't wanna go in there. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. It was all just so dark and cold...' she started to shake.  
  
Kiyone crept over to where Mihoshe lay, got hold of her shoulders and hauled her up to a sitting position. She suddenly felt very ashamed at her own anger, remembering that Mihoshe wasn't in complete control of her situation.  
  
Like she ever is, a nasty voice snapped at the back of her mind.  
  
Kiyone firmly slammed the lid down on the voice as she concentrated on Mihoshe. Her partner did not appear hurt; they were BOTH lucky not to have been injured by Ryoko's sword. But Mihoshe was clearly suffering a mixture of embarrassment and shame at her actions, not to mention fear of Kiyone's reaction.  
  
'It's all right Mihoshe,' Kiyone explained looking at her. 'There's no real harm done. Nothing that we can't fix anyway,' she added, looking towards the smashed shrine.  
  
And caught her breath. Behind them, part of the chamber wall had collapsed, sealing them inside.  
  
'Say it,' Mihoshe said simply.  
  
Kiyone turned back to Mihoshe/Ryoko, saw her partners grim, tearing eyes. 'What?' she asked, distractedly.  
  
'Say: You screwed things up again Mihoshe.' Mihoshe arched forward, a cat-like wail coming soft and high from her lips. Her shoulders began to buck with her sobbing, and she pounded the floor with her fists, leaving distinct cracks.  
  
'Screw up, screw up, SCREW UP!' she choked out between hoarse rapid breaths. 'I can't even screw up right!' She suddenly scrabbled to her feet and stormed over to the blockage. Wrapping Ryoko's slender but strong arms around a mid-sized chunk of rubble, Mihoshe staggered back, lifted it, then swung in a circle to throw the debris clear. It landed on the far side of the room will a dark sounding thud.  
  
'I've had enough!' she said, an unstable edge in her voice. 'I am SICK AND TIRED of always messing up. I am going to do something right for a change and get us out of here!'  
  
'Mihoshe, STOP!' Kiyone's shout came out like a roar in Tenchi's deeper voice, enough to startle Mihoshe out of her actions. She took a step back, clearly dazed, as the wall collapsed further. Her own body mimicked the action as she fell back against the far wall. Tears streaked her face, which was a mask of pained emotion.  
  
'Mihoshe, snap out of it!' Kiyone staggered over to Mihoshe, took her partner's shoulders again, and lowered Mihoshe's head so that it was between her knees.  
  
'You're having a panic attack,' Kiyone explained gently. 'Hyperventilating. Just try to stay calm; I'm here with you.' Kiyone/Tenchi slid her/his arms protectively around Mihoshe/Ryoko's shoulders. Kiyone could hear Mihoshe muttering to herself between rapid breaths: 'I am a Galaxy Police Officer... I am a Galaxy Police Officer...'  
  
'Hush, never mind that now,' Kiyone said softly, as she drew Mihoshe/Ryoko tighter into her - Tenchi's - arms. Idly, she wondered if she HAD found Ryoko after all.  
  
A few long minutes passed, in which Mihoshe's breathing became more steady. 'Don't focus on being a GP Officer, Mihoshe,' Kiyone said. 'Just concentrate on being you.'  
  
Mihoshe coughed a little, then raised her upper body and wiped at her eyes. 'I'm such a fool, Kiyone. I'm so sorry.'  
  
Kiyone sighed heavily. 'Don't say such things. You're my FRIEND, Mihoshe. We all care about you, and we ALL appreciate what you do for us.' It was impulsive, but seemed oddly appropriate as Kiyone kissed Mihoshe on her forehead. Mihoshe responded by snuggling closer into Kiyone/Tenchi's embrace.  
  
Mihoshe continued to talk around shallow sobs. 'But - but I've always ruined everything for you. It's my fault Washu's machine got blasted.'  
  
'You didn't know how to control Ryoko's abilities then. That could have happened to any of us.'  
  
'But, I KNOW you dun wanna be here; and I know I'm not that good a cop. You're always baby sitting me -'  
  
'Now that's enough,' Kiyone said in a kind but stern voice, hardly aware that she was acting in exactly the way Mihoshe had just described. 'If you wanna talk GP, then a Galaxy Police Officer doesn't pout around feeling sorry for themselves; the Mihoshe I know doesn't either.   
  
'A GP Officer takes each challenge as it comes and faces it with pride and determination. There is NO-ONE I know who does that more or better than you do.'  
  
'But - but your career -'  
  
'Mihoshe, that's LIFE. We're ALL entitled to grumble about life. We just make the best we can of it. Life is separate from job or career; even when life sucks, we can still do our jobs, and do them well. We've NEVER failed an assignment during our time here on Earth. Sure, we've not stopped any big time heisters, or took down any gangs, or infiltrated any syndicates - it DOESN'T MATTER. This stretch of space is a safer place to be, because of US. And that DOES matter.'  
  
'Then... then you're not mad at me?'  
  
Kiyone sighed. 'Mihoshe, I'm not sure if I've ever been REALLY angry with you. I'm angry with our bosses, because I don't think we get the respect we deserve. I don't think any of our hotshot colleagues appreciate how difficult our assignment here is. Balancing commitments on Earth with our Resident Officer status - I'd like to see THEM try it.' Kiyone sighed, then surprised herself by laughing - REALLY laughing.  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko gave Kiyone/Tenchi a confused smile. 'What is it, Kiyone?'  
  
'It's - nothing. Just - I dunno,' Kiyone laughed again, Tenchi's voice ringing loud and clear. 'I just never thought about our lives here in this way before. I mean, I want to do well, but...'  
  
'But you like it here?' Mihoshe/Ryoko finished for her, smiling.  
  
Kiyone/Tenchi smiled down at her friend. 'I like it here,' she agreed.  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko's smile widened; a grin of fangs and green eyes and cyan hair, but somehow, oddly innocent and wondrous. With a happy sigh, Mihoshe/Ryoko wrapped her arms around Kiyone/Tenchi and snuggled into her friend's embrace.  
  
That's when Kiyone felt it. The same hideously embarrassing sensation she'd experienced in the bathroom when Mihoshe - as a stark naked Ryoko - had hugged her.  
  
It had to be the ODDEST sensation of her life. Washu had tried to trigger the response herself back in the lab. For a moment, Kiyone shuddered as the memory of a scantily clad schoolgirl Washu/Ayeka floated up in her mind.  
  
Why NOW, of all times!? Kiyone's voice shrieked inside her head. What happened to the damn 40 below libido Washu said I was supposed to have!? Either her personality had adjusted to life in a male's body, or Tenchi's body was naturally reactive to Ryoko's.  
  
Or...  
  
Kiyone slammed the door firmly shut on THAT line of reasoning. There was NO WAY she was responsive to MIHOSHE!!  
  
It's Tenchi, that's what it is. He's a young, healthy guy, full of hormones and stuff. He's surrounded by attractive young women. It's only natural.  
  
The problem was that, natural or not, Mihoshe could feel it too. And the way she was snuggling closer into Kiyone/Tenchi's embrace suggested that she wasn't in the least bit bothered by it.  
  
Well I am! Kiyone thought with a mixture of anger and embarrassment as she began to hurriedly disentangle herself/himself from Mihoshe/Ryoko. 'Come on,' she spoke to Mihoshe, 'We have to figure a way out of here.'  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko giggled, a singularly unsettling sound that had Kiyone/Tenchi break out in a cold sweat.  
  
'Did you forget?' Mihoshe/Ryoko raised her head and spoke softly, teasingly, into Kiyone/Tenchi's right ear. 'I'm Ryoko; I can teleport us out of here anytime I want.' She giggled again. 'I guess I was too mixed up before to realise.'  
  
Kiyone/Tenchi smiled, but with far more nervousness than relief. 'That's great, Mihoshe, that's just great!' she replied in a voice more fearful than reassuring. 'In that case, we'd better be getting back to the others-'  
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko's grip didn't budge. 'You didn't hear me, right, Kiyone,' she answered in that same sweet, teasing voice. 'I said I can teleport anytime "I" want to.... And right now, I dun want to.'  
  
Kiyone found Tenchi's heart hammering so hard she was almost passing out with the oxygen rush. She struggled to find her voice, knowing that only through reason could she save both herself AND Tenchi's body. With an effort, Kiyone/Tenchi managed to squeeze a little out of Mihoshe/Ryoko's tightening embrace.   
  
'Mihoshe, LISTEN to me. You need to concentrate on yourself, your own identity. What you're experiencing are Ryoko's subliminal feelings towards this place, and towards Tenchi. She must have picked up a touch of autophobia after being locked up all alone for so long, and perhaps claustrophobia too.'  
  
'And scotophobia?' Mihoshe added.  
  
Kiyone/Tenchi frowned. 'SCOTOPHOBIA? What the heck is THAT?'  
  
'A fear of the dark.' Mihoshe beamed.  
  
'Ah... yeah, right,' Kiyone stammered. 'So, like I said, the others may be REALLY needing us, and-'  
  
'But I feel so warm and safe with you,' Mihoshe/Ryoko cut Kiyone's increasingly desperate words off softly.  
  
'Mihoshe, Please! We really need to go.' Mihoshe responded by snuggling up against the increasingly exasperated and flustered Kiyone/Tenchi. Kiyone shivered slightly at the warm breath on her ear, then jerked slightly as she felt the edge of a fang trace around the lobe.  
  
'I can tell you know,' Mihoshe whispered. She pressed up against Kiyone/Tenchi's body.  
  
Kiyone winced. 'Mihoshe this is TENCHI'S body - it's probably a conditioned response; an automatic reaction to contact with a woman.'  
  
Ryoko's cyan hair tickled the side of Tenchi's neck as Mihoshe shook her head. 'Uh uh,' she admonished. 'I know different. I know about Tenchi, and I know about Ryoko, and I know about me.'  
  
'But you DON'T know about me!' Kiyone pointed out, almost painfully.  
  
It was as sudden as it was surprising. Mihoshe's arms fell away, so that Kiyone almost toppled backwards onto the floor. For a moment, Kiyone feared she would be pounced upon, but instead Mihoshe just sat there, a slightly bittersweet smile on her face.  
  
'It's okay,' she replied to Kiyone's sudden look of concern. 'I understand; you're probably right, anyway.'  
  
Kiyone felt suddenly and inexplicably guilty; as if SHE'D done something wrong. It then occurred to her that Mihoshe herself hadn't actually DONE anything wrong, though it was far from something Kiyone had felt comfortable with.  
  
Or was it....?  
  
No, NO!  
  
'It's all right Mihoshe,' Kiyone said reassuringly, though now she herself doubted her own words. She felt suddenly cold after withdrawing from Mihoshe's embrace.  
  
With a pop of displaced air, Mihoshe vanished from in front of Kiyone. The GP Officer turned in time to see her partner reappear in front of the blockage, near where they had entered the chamber. She was apparently assessing the damage with a critical eye.  
  
'This will have to be fixed before Yosho gets back,' Mihoshe said in a neutral voice. 'He'll give us hell if he finds out about it.'  
  
Kiyone nodded agreement as she came up behind Mihoshe. 'He'll probably guess anyways,' she said with a sigh. 'Even if Washu fixed it. He has a knack for stuff like that.'  
  
Mihoshe nodded in her turn, then flicked a look back over her shoulder at Kiyone. 'Well, there's nothing we can do about it for now.' She reached out and took hold of Kiyone/Tenchi's right hand. 'Grab hold; I'll get us out of here.'  
  
Kiyone didn't really know why she did it. On reflection it was fairly straightforward; she merely stepped up close behind Mihoshe and slid her - Tenchi's - hands around Mihoshe/Ryoko's waist.  
  
But it was when she brought her face close up behind Mihoshe's and breathed lightly on it that things changed. Mihoshe shivered slightly; her body stiffened and she leaned back into Kiyone's embrace. The next thing Kiyone knew, she was kissing Mihoshe/Ryoko's neck. Mihoshe's hands moved down to grip Kiyone/Tenchi's tightly.  
  
It was only when Kiyone - under her own volition rather than Mihoshe's urging - moved her left hand upwards at the same time that her right hand drifted down, that a sliver of reason penetrated her fuzzy mind. What the HELL am I DOING!?!  
  
Kiyone/Tenchi began to sluggishly pull herself/himself away from Mihoshe/Ryoko as the latter reached back with a trembling arm to grip the former's waist and press her lower body back towards Kiyone.  
  
Kiyone/Tenchi hesitated, allowing the soft noise of rain to fill her/his ears, and the warmth of Mihoshe/Ryoko's body to soak into her/his skin. Outside, the raging storm had become an apt metaphor for the raging, conflicting feelings within Kiyone's own heart, and probably Mihoshe's too, she realised. The pulsing heat was almost intoxicating, and the GP Officer within knew it was time to make or break.  
  
It was time to decide.  
  
* * *  
  
Azaka floated, patient and unflustered in front of Tenchi/Mihoshe and Washu/Ayeka while the two of them considered Ayeka's report.  
  
'Sounds like she didn't have a specific direction in mind,' Washu/Ayeka decided. 'Just to get away.'  
  
'A typical child's reaction,' Tenchi/Mihoshe agreed.  
  
Washu/Ayeka actually smiled - possibly for the first time since this whole mess happened, Tenchi thought. 'Did you ever run away from home?' Washu asked Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi laughed softly. 'Actually, no,' he replied. 'I never had to I guess. After my mother passed away I may have kept to myself a bit more than other kids, but Dad just let me be. He's always been good like that.'  
  
'And now?' Washu grinned mischievously.  
  
Tenchi shrugged and smiled. 'Well, there ARE times when I feel I could use a little air - or space.'  
  
Washu nodded knowingly, then turned to Azaka. 'We're ready, Azaka,' she told the Guardian. 'Take us to Ayeka and Sasami.'  
  
'What about Kiyone and Mihoshe?' Tenchi asked.  
  
'My orders were to fetch them after bringing the two of you to Princess Ayeka,' Azaka responded.  
  
'That's good enough,' Washu agreed. 'Now we have a vague idea where Ryoko is, the important thing is to get over there ASAP. I just hope those two'll be okay until Azaka can collect them.'  
  
'What do you mean?' Tenchi asked, puzzled.  
  
Washu shrugged. 'Well, from what you said about that cave, there's all kinds of potential pitfalls they could get mixed up in.'  
  
'Don't worry,' Tenchi/Mihoshe said confidently. 'If nothing else, Kiyone's sure to be on top of the situation.'  
  
'Well, she better be,' Washu/Ayeka remarked tartly. 'Sooner or later Mihoshe is bound to end up with her legs in the air.'  
  
With that, the two clambered aboard Azaka, and the Guardian set off back in the direction of the forest.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 8 


	10. Search Lights

Disclaimer time!! I don't own Tenchi, it's characters, or anything else about it. This story is a creative mark of respect for this impressive anime show's creators and distributors. I hope you and they (if they ever see it) enjoy it! I hope they enjoy it so much that they don't sue me... ^^;  
  
Comments, reviews and suggestions are welcome as always. You can post them up over at Fanfiction.net or email me directly at mccpcorn@hotmail.com ^_^  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Ryoko/Sasami)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone has found herself stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is getting drunk in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
The Story so Far: As Kiyone and Mihoshe come to terms with a difficult situation, the others are closing in on the missing Ryoko. Time, though, is not on their side, and they still have their own private demons to face down...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
Chapter 9: Search Lights  
========================  
  
Sasami marvelled at how swiftly a place she had known for so long could transform itself into something so unrecognisably hostile and dangerous. As she and Ayeka made their way through the forest they found it a nightmare thicket of trees, thorns and branches, cemented together by thick mud and rotting leaves. The air was stale and heavy, and the intermittent lightning cast uneven shadows in the gloom, making everything seem warped and distorted. The boughs rattled in the stiff wind and mingled with the rustling leaves and patter of rain to merge into a chorus of soft, unsettling whispers.  
  
Not like Jurian trees, the young girl thought to herself sadly. They always seemed bright and warm and cheerful, holding both wisdom and compassion within their rich greens and browns. These trees, dark and cold and grey, seemed wizened, bare; brooding with evil thoughts. Sasami wondered how much of her dark mood was due to her surroundings and how much was due to being stuck in Kiyone's body. Whatever the cause, it took a great deal of effort to shake it off.  
  
The lightning was finally tailing off, but the rain was still coming in heavy bursts. Between the showers the rain was an icy chill that dribbled down from the forest canopy above, clinging to Ayeka like a cold sweat. Ayeka desperately wished for something - anything - to give her at least some protection from the elements, but she knew an umbrella would have been torn to shreds amongst the thickets, and clawing her way through the tangled forest as she was Ayeka needed both hands just to keep her balance.   
  
To make matters worse, Ayeka was convinced her eyes had started playing tricks on her.   
  
For the past 20 minutes, something elusive had been bothering the Crown Princess, to the point that Ayeka worried about her state of mind. But even as she focused her will upon herself, as Washu had instructed, she caught the odd gleam decisively out the corner of her eye. 'There it is again,' she finally spoke aloud.  
  
'What?' Sasami/Kiyone's response was as distracted as it was intense.  
  
'A light of some sort, over to our left.' Even as the two princess' looked in that direction, the fuzzy glow came again. There was no telling what it was, but it clearly wasn't lightning. Ayeka/Washu found herself taking an instinctive step towards the glow when Sasami/Kiyone's firm grip latched onto her shoulder.  
  
'Careful Ayeka! I've heard about them. It's a Yuurei.'  
  
Ayeka/Washu's brows knitted together in annoyed confusion. 'What in Jurai's Stars is a Yuurei?' she demanded of her younger sister.  
  
Sasami shrugged. 'That's what they're called in Japan. People in other parts of the world call them Will-o' the Wisps; Tenchi told me so. I think they'e like marsh light, or fireflies. People follow them and fall into marshes or rivers. We had best be careful; we're no good to anuone if we get trapped ourselves.'   
  
Ayeka was reluctantly pulled away from the glow by Sasami but she found herself struggling to fit her sister's words to what she was seeing. 'Well if that is a Will-o' the Wisp, it's shaped like a person.'  
  
'We can fit all kinds of images to the shapes we see,' Sasami said sternly. 'But we have to be very careful or Tenchi will have to rescue US before he can rescue Ryoko.'  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko struggled like a wild animal within the web of thorny branches that had stopped her falling into the stream below. All thoughts of subtlety and planning had evaporated in one moment of blinding fear. Now only one thought dominated her mind.  
  
Got to get out! Got to get away!  
  
Get away, get away, get away, getaway, getaway...  
  
The thorns tore at her everywhere. Her clothes; her hair; her skin.  
  
Getaway, getaway, getaway, getaway getaway...  
  
There was a soft plop in the water below as one of Sasami's hair bobbles fell into the rising water below. Drops of fresh blood seeped from a cut in Sasami's right leg; fabric clung to her scraped knees where old blood had dried.  
  
GetawaygetawaygetawaygetawaygetawaygetawaygetawayGETAWAY!!  
  
Ryoko screamed again.  
  
* * *  
  
Ayeka turned sharply, seeming to feel the thin, distant sound on her face rather than hear it. 'What was that?' she demanded.  
  
'What was what?' Sasami replied absently.  
  
'It sounded like a cry. Or a scream.'  
  
Sasami gave her sister a hard look. 'Are you sure?'  
  
Ayeka hesitated. 'Not really,' she admitted. 'That is what it sounded like, but it could have been anything.'  
  
It was Sasami's turn to hesitate. 'Well it's all that we have,' she answered firmly. 'Where did it sound like it came from?'  
  
Ayeka looked around for long moments before clenching her fists in frustration. 'It sounded like it came from over there,' she said, waving off east. 'But with the trees and the wind and other noise who knows for sure?'  
  
'Well it is better than nothing.' Sasami started of in the direction indicated by her sister, halted when she realised Ayeka was not following her. 'Ayeka?'  
  
Ayeka's body seemed to jerk slightly, as if jolted from a deep slumber. 'That pesky light again,' she replied sheepishly.  
  
Sasami's face held concern. 'Be careful, Ayeka. I've told you: those Will-o'the Wisps can be killers.'  
  
'I know, I know,' Ayeka replied in a thick sounding voice. 'But it is so entrancing...'  
  
Ayeka gave a soft yelp as Sasami, rather roughly, turned her sister around to face her.  
  
'Ayeka,' Sasami said sternly. 'This is difficult enough for me as it is. Please don't start losing track of yourself, now of all times. Try to concentrate on who you are and what we need to do here.'  
  
Ayeka's face flushed in embarrassment as she remembered the reason she and Sasami were there in the first place, but then her expression hardened into one of grim determination.  
  
'You're right. Let's end this nonsense and get Ryoko back. Before we all go insane.'  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko had finally stopped struggling. She lay limp in her cradle of thorns and jagged, twisted twigs and branches; almost as if death had claimed her soul before her body surrendered to the water that still churned threateningly below. Her child-eyes were wide and fixed, the only hint of life in the small, still figure was the steady rising and falling of her chest.  
  
The mind within was damaged, although not broken. In a last, futile effort to preserve its own sanity it had withdrawn deep within the shell of Sasami's body, leaving Ryoko aware, but numb. It wasn't happening to her; it was all just a bad dream, happening to someone else.  
  
Make that TWO someone else's...  
  
All that remained in Ryoko's conscious mind were a few tattered strands of thought, woven together in a fragile braid of awareness.  
  
Please... Forgive me...  
  
I'm so cold...  
  
Please... PLEASE, Momma... don't leave me along. It's all dark and cold...  
  
A single tear slipped from her left eye to run down her cheek.  
  
'Mommy...'  
  
I dun wanna be alone... not now... So cold...  
  
Not alone in the dark...  
  
Ryoko no longer knew where the cold came from; whether from within or without. She could no longer distinguish between the pulverising rain and aching tears that stung her face. She was just a shell within a shell. A shallow, empty creature that sought out its own selfish desires.  
  
To be warm.  
  
To be loved.  
  
To be safe.  
  
Just a demon... I'm only a demon. A construct - an artefact.  
  
"All you ever do is hurt people I care about! You took EVERYTHING from me! And for once in your life you're going to care about that!"  
  
'Please Ayeka... no more...'  
  
From somewhere deep within herself, Ryoko summoned up the strength to sob.  
  
* * *  
  
Ayeka was almost sorry the lightning was petering out. The extra light had been greatly welcomed, despite the yellow-blue blobs it had left dancing in front of her eyes. The hideous, twisted shapes she had glimpsed in the uneven shadows could hardly have been any worse than her own, dark thoughts.  
  
Perhaps it was some built-in ability of Washu's body, independent of the scientist's personality, but the memories of those last few moments with Ryoko were recorded in Ayeka's mind with a painfully crystal-clear precision. The Jurian had replayed her actions over and over again until she had found herself slapping her knuckles painfully against the passing trees in a vain attempt to shake the thoughts loose. She remembered every word she had said; how she had been blinded by her fury and the suppressed emotions that had tormented her soul for years.  
  
But that was not the cause of her burning face and stinging eyes.  
  
Ryoko had begun to believe Ayeka had forgiven her for her dark and terrible past, yet she had seen the Jurian had only buried her feelings, not released them. She had not let go of her past, as Ryoko had done; only suppressed the dark thoughts and lingering pain, striking out against her old rival when she was at her most vulnerable.   
  
But it wasn't LIKE that! Ayeka protested to herself. I never MEANT it to happen...  
  
"I'm GLAD I attacked Jurai. I'll NEVER regret it. It was the BEST thing I've EVER done."  
  
Ryoko's words.  
  
For Jurai's sake! How did Ryoko EXPECT me to react to a remark like that?!?   
  
"Nothing gets under that precious skin of yours, demon! Well perhaps this will! It's all you understand. It's time your pride took a beating!"  
  
"All you ever do is hurt people I care about! You took EVERYTHING from me! And for once in your life you're going to care about that!"  
  
Ayeka's words.  
  
"I - HATE - YOU."  
  
No-one's words.   
  
Just the natural reaction of a child pushed beyond the limits of their emotions.   
  
The visage of those large pink eyes burned Ayeka's heart. HOW could I have missed it?! She demanded angrily of herself. HOW could I not see where it was going?  
  
Had she truly forgiven Ryoko, she would've perceived the truth of the latter's words, no matter how confusing they sounded, and she would not have done such a terrible thing. The Crown Princess squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to drive out the mental image of when she had beaten her OWN sister, or at least her body.   
  
But - but there was so much to let go... My beautiful world, so damaged. All those people - MY people - killed and injured. My flower garden - turned into a pit of ashes.  
  
My beloved brother, taken from me.  
  
My dear little sister... killed.  
  
No.  
  
Sasami was right beside her, in Kiyone's body. Ayeka could see her anxiously swinging her flashlight back and forth searching for any clue that may tell them where Ryoko was.  
  
Sasami only survived because Tsunami joined with her... One day they must become one. Tsunami can say what she likes - I will still be losing a part of my sister.  
  
Yet Ayeka had never noticed that Sasami was any different. She clearly remembered her little sister's efforts to revive her spirits after Yosho went away. And she was here, before Ayeka, totally dislocated from the physical shell that Tsunami had revived; alive and independent....  
  
HAD Ryoko even forgiven herself for what happened? Had the Pirate allowed herself that luxury? Or had it lingered, festered as it had in Ayeka? Perhaps she needs me to forgive her before she can forgive herself...?  
  
But if Ryoko had buried the thoughts as Ayeka had, then why had she not been poisoned by them as the Princess had?  
  
Tenchi.  
  
Of course.  
  
Ryoko had watched the innocent boy grow into a compassionate young man - that was how feelings had arisen within her in the first place. Ryoko had not forgotten her crimes, but she had learned to accept she could only change the future, not the past. While her past grieved her, it did not torment her, nor did it dictate her actions. It did not drive her in the way it had driven Ayeka.  
  
Yosho had forgiven Ryoko.  
  
Funaho had forgiven Ryoko.  
  
Mother forgave her... am I the only one left?  
  
Sasami loved her, but then Sasami loved EVERYONE...  
  
Even Father let her be here...  
  
Who HAD been hurt the most from the events on Jurai?  
  
I found my brother.  
  
I found Tenchi.  
  
I found a life that I could never have imagined.  
  
Had she been hurt only because she had ALLOWED herself to be hurt?  
  
Ayeka's life here could be difficult, especially living with a such a boisterous figure as Ryoko, but it was rewarding. One day she knew that she would have to say goodbye to Earth and her family here, with or without Tenchi. But her experiences of a simple, yet challenging life would surely make her a better person - perhaps a better Empress if she ever rose to that position.   
  
But despite all that had happened since Ayeka came to Earth, a part of her had withered; there had been an emptiness that she had been unaware of, and yet desperate to fill. She had bled with her people, and shared in their loss, yet Jurai had been renewed whilst she had not. She had stayed the same.   
  
Her search for Yosho; her battle to claim Tenchi; even the mundane tasks of her everyday life on this strange, beautiful planet that her brother and his mother called home - it was all only a distraction from herself.  
  
Are my feelings just a sham? she asked herself worriedly.  
  
No. Her feelings for Tenchi were true; THAT much she knew.  
  
But you couldn't fill a void. You may as well hope to carry water around in a bucket that had no bottom.   
  
Ayeka's pain had confined her to a prison within her own body for 700 years, as surely as Ryoko herself had been confined. She needed closure in her life; something to mark the end of one phase and the beginning of another. She needed to do what everyone else had done: draw a line under the past and let go.   
  
Forgive and move on.  
  
Everything Ayeka had done up to now had been tainted by a lingering, stubbornly held-to resentment that had trapped Ryoko in the guise of a demon. It was a guise in which Ryoko could never hope to improve herself, at least in Ayeka's eyes, so the Pirate had never bothered to try. Ryoko had made a meagre effort in Sasami's body, but without realising she was doing it Ayeka had fought to keep Ryoko bottled up, imprisoned within that visage of an irredeemable demon.   
  
Ryoko may have accepted her role in events, but to truly move on she needed Ayeka's forgiveness. Only then could she forgive herself and finally move forward with her life and become that better person Ayeka had said she could never be.   
  
And Ayeka needed to forgive Ryoko to finally heal her own life and truly start afresh. THAT'S what Ryoko had tried to tell her, even if the Pirate had not realised it herself.  
  
And that was exactly what Ayeka WOULD do, happy and relieved to finally lay her past and her pain to rest.  
  
Assuming she could FIND Ryoko...  
  
* * *  
  
Had she died?  
  
Ryoko's consciousness peeked out reluctantly from the dark folds of despair it had wrapped around itself. The Pirate's eyes reported a bright glow. Not the cold, intermittent flash of lightning, but a warm, steady radiance. Although not uncomfortable , it's quiet, insistent presence was slowly but surely dragging Ryoko back to an unwelcome awareness.  
  
I must've fallen asleep, Ryoko decided. Or passed out. If I'd died, there's no way I'd be waking up in heaven. This light - sheesh, is it morning?  
  
With an effort, Ryoko opened her eyes. She was still in her cat's cradle of branches and twigs and thorns; she was still in Sasami's body. Ryoko realised a small part of her had actually hoped the whole thing had been nothing more than a horrid dream, but she was either too cynical or too tired to feel disappointed by the revelation of her reality.  
  
Wearily, Ryoko looked around, struggling to turn her body. Twigs snapped and cracked dangerously, and the Pirate was acutely aware that should her cradle give way she would plunge head first into the freezing torrent of water below.  
  
Is this it? Is THIS my real punishment? To die as a helpless child, as Sasami did, powerless to protect myself? Was 700 years in a cave just a down-payment?  
  
Dimly, Ryoko trapped a stray memory in her mind; the image of Ry-ou being destroyed by Kagato's ship as Tenchi had attempted to turn it's Light Hawks Wings on the offence. She remembered how the sense of loss had torn through her like a knife made from ice stabbed clean through her heart.  
  
It was at that moment she had finally understood what it was to have feelings - and to know what it was like when those feelings were hurt. She recalled the thick, rising panic as she had frantically searched the ruins drifting in space. How, clutching his bloodstained bandanna, she had thought Tenchi was lost forever.   
  
Tenchi came for me that day. He fought his way all the way up to Kagato. He didn't have to; he did it for ME.  
  
It had been there again when Kagato had arrogantly blasted Tenchi aboard his ship as he sought to protect Ryoko. The same feeling each time; an agonising sense of loss, aching like salt poured into an open wound.  
  
Don't forget Clay. ANOTHER time he rescued me...  
  
Ryoko suddenly felt a twinge of embarrassment that she - one of the most feared names in the galaxy! - had needed rescuing not once but TWICE by some farmboy kid on a dead-end backwater planet.  
  
A soft, dreamy smile creased Ryoko/Sasami's lips, ever so slightly. That's why I love the guy... so much...  
  
It was then that she realised that, oddly enough, even those tremendously powerful feelings didn't come close to what she was feeling now.  
  
It was then that she understood. She was still smarting from Ayeka's assault upon her, but the princess had only hurt her pride. That was nothing - a drop in the interstellar ocean compared to had Ryoko had hurt the princess in return. And how she had hurt herself.  
  
The thought that she could die, here, like this, failing to fulfil her potential, to become something truly better than she was, without Tenchi ever seeing that moment realised -  
  
THAT hurt.  
  
THAT was the pain she was experiencing now. The pain of knowledge; of revelation.   
  
And knowing it could be too late to change that mistake.  
  
Ryoko inwardly winced as she realised how she had squandered the gifts given to her since she had regained her freedom. How shallow and selfish and stupid she had been!   
  
Her eyes darted from side to side and she fought down the sudden rush of panic that leaked into her mind. No, she told herself. It's only squandered if I die; it's still not too late to live.  
  
The glow that had awoken her was no longer visible, but for some odd reason she felt better; she could actually FEEL herself again instead of a disjointed conscious trapped within a child's body.  
  
Instead of a child's conscious trapped inside an ADULT'S body, she told herself wryly. How odd that she had had to end up in Sasami's body before she could realise what she was when she was in her OWN body: a mere child.  
  
Well, she told herself, there is nothing mere about THIS child.  
  
Ryoko had made peace with the child that was Sasami's body. In doing so, she had found a balance with the part of herself that was a full-grown woman. And she felt better for it - better than she had in a long while.  
  
Now to get out of here, she told herself. I am sick and TIRED of panicking; I just want OUT.  
  
But how?  
  
The branch Ryoko/Sasami had fallen from was now a good half metre above her, well out of reach. In any case Sasami's body simply didn't have the strength to haul herself back up onto that slippery perch. On top of that the slightest shift in her body's weight sent Ryoko yawing from side to side, twisting and snapping the twigs and branches holding her. Already she was hanging much lower down than she had been earlier, and Ryoko knew any drastic movements would cause her safety net to give way.   
  
The cradle that had saved Ryoko/Sasami had also trapped her. One false move and the whole thing would just collapse and pitch Ryoko feet first into her own personal flood, and as long as there was that danger, she was stuck.  
  
She could of course just stay put and wait to be found, but that would mean hoping her cradle didn't give way before the waters subsided below - assuming it didn't rise high enough to drown her like a rat in a trap. But Ryoko felt she had been humiliated enough for one day, and the thought of Tenchi or Washu - or even worse, Ayeka or Sasami - finding her trapped, injured and helpless was just too much. Ayeka would go ballistic if she saw the condition of Sasami's body, and the thought of the child's hurt expression at Ryoko's perceived abuse and betrayal of her trust began to torment the Pirate.  
  
Ryoko knew she couldn't allow further harm to come to Sasami's body; Tenchi would never forgive her, and HE would be the LEAST of her worries. She'd be lucky if Yosho didn't slam her back up in that cave for mistreating his little sister in this way.  
  
Ryoko squeezed her eyes shut against the cold rush of panic that swept over her at the thought of going back to the cave. Her mind was at war with itself and barely holding it's own. But at least she knew that now - she was no longer at the helpless mercy of her own private demons. Ryoko knew now that every rogue thought or distraction lessened her chance of saving herself - AND Sasami. That realisation steeled her nerve and focused her mind with ever increasing strength.  
  
Right then, I'm pretty sure the others will be looking for me, but I can't allow myself to be found like this. That means I need to at least get out of here. Ryoko looked around, searching for inspiration, but none was forthcoming. Dammit, what I wouldn't give to be able to teleport right now!  
  
Ryoko looked down the length of her body. She noticed that when she had fallen into the net she had been pointing head first towards the water. Now, though, her struggling had caused the far end of the cradle to give way, leaving her at a shallow feet-first angle.  
  
Seeing this, a plan began to form in Ryoko's mind. It was clear the cradle was going to give way sooner or later - sooner if she tried to climb out of it. But if she could just arrange for it to break a certain way - or a certain direction...?  
  
She looked around. Yes, it might just work. If the lower end gave way, she would fall towards the far bank she had been trying to get to when she fell from the branch. The momentum of her own body-weight should carry her the remaining distance.  
  
Just like Tarzan, Ryoko thought, actually smiling to herself as the old movies she had seen at Tenchi's house flashed through her mind.  
  
Of course it wasn't without risk. The branches she held onto could also snap and pitch her into the water. And if the water below was too high her feet could dip into it as she fell, slowing her down and leaving her dangling mid air above the creek.  
  
But as the cradle swayed threateningly in the wind, and Ryoko/Sasami's eyes narrowed in determination. I'd rather take the chance rather then risk having the decision taken out of my hands altogether.  
  
With a grunt of effort, Ryoko began carefully twisting around in the net. She was working now, and allowed only one further stray thought to enter her head.  
  
What a STUPID place to put a forest...  
  
END OF CHAPTER 9 


	11. Sibling Rivalry

Disclaimer time!! I am not getting paid for this and I have nothing to do with any offical Tenchi franchise. This story is purely a labour of love (some might say a grudge match by now!) and a creative mark of respect for this impressive anime show's creators and distributors. Enjoy!  
  
As always, reviews, comments and feedback are welcome. You can post reviews up at Fanfiction.net, The Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction Archive, or email at mccpcorn@hotmail.com :)  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Ryoko/Sasami)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone has found herself stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe's in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
The Story so Far: Ryoko is trapped and in desperate trouble. While Ayeka and Sasami delve ever deeper into the forest in search of the Space Pirate, help is at hand as Tenchi and Washu arrive on the scene...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
Chapter 10: Sibling Rivalry  
===========================  
  
Kamadake continued to monitor the progress of his royal charges as they made their search; their faint, distorted Infra-Red images bobbing around on his scanner as they changed direction and headed further west.  
  
The Jurian Guardian had registered several unusal energy emissions coming from that direction and felt concern that the princess' were heading towards it. He debated abandoning his position momentarily to clarify the situation, but then he detected the familiar carrier-signal that marked his counterpart's approach, and he turned his attention to the new arrivals.  
  
For the third time, Tenchi/Mihoshe squrimed out of Washu/Ayeka's grip. He had almost fallen off Azaka twice during their ride in, and Washu had taken a somewhat perverse pleasure in holding onto him to stop him falling.   
  
'Will you cut that out!?' Tenchi demanded as Washu snuggled close again.  
  
Washu/Ayeka gave Tenchi/Mihoshe a beautifully bewitching smile. 'Ah, come on!' she said, making Ayeka's voice sound vibrant, strong and free. 'Aren't you a little bit interested?'  
  
This would normally be the point where Tenchi would get a nosebleed; this time he was rather glad he didn't. 'No!' he said as firmly as he could in Mihoshe's voice as he squirmed his/her way up away from Washu/Ayeka.  
  
'Not even a teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy bit?' Washu/Ayeka implored with wobbling eyes.  
  
'ESPECIALLY not a teeny-tiny itty-bitty bit,' Tenchi rejoined hotly. Mihoshe's body had a lower centre of gravity than his own, which should've made him/her more stable, but she was also... topheavy. As Azaka changed altitude and reduced speed, Tenchi again found himself flailing for balance before Ayeka/Washu gleefully drew him back into her embrace. 'Now you know why I prefer my OWN body,' Washu said coyly before waving to the approaching Kamadake. 'Yo, Kamadake! How goes it?'  
  
'I have been monitoring the princess' progress, Your Highness - I mean, Lady Washu,' Kamadake reported. (As far as the Guardians were concerned, the whole situation was just as confusing for THEM as it was for everyone else.)  
  
'And?' Tenchi asked in an voice uncharacteristically professional for Mihoshe.  
  
'They've just altered direction towards an unusual, sporadic energy emission I've been detecting.'  
  
Kamadake didn't have to add anything further. Tenchi and Washu merely exchanged a look. 'We'd best get down there,' Washu answered.  
  
* * *  
  
'Really, this is becoming intolerable!' Ayeka fumed aloud to herself. She had no idea how long they had been stuck in the forest, but it felt like days.  
  
She shivered, soaked clean through to the skin. Washu's hair was plastered to her face and head and the dank, wet odur as cold water met bodyheat was everywhere. Sasami, in Kiyone's body, didn't look much better, but at least her teal hair looked graceful when wet; Ayeka felt she looked like a drowned rat.  
  
Not that rats HAD red hair, but still...  
  
She sighed, trying to shrug off a moment's dizziness as the great weariness that had come across her back at the house returned, seemingly multiplied tenfold.  
  
Back at the house...  
  
Back with Ryoko...  
  
Ayeka slipped suddenly in the mud. As she stumbled to her knees she flung her hands out in front of her to break her fall. She succeeded, but caught her - Washu's - right leg against a potrusion of stone. A curse hissed through the Crown Princesses lips and her eyes squeezed shut as sparks of pain shot through her right knee.   
  
Sasami/Kiyone gave her sister a hard, unfriendly look. 'Will you QUIT complaining?' she demanded, in a dead-ringer for Kiyone's stern, no-nonsense approach. 'You've not shut up since we came out here. It's really starting to BUG me.'  
  
Ayeka gave her younger sister an equally unfriendly look. 'Don't be so cheeky!' she admonished. 'Since when were you put in charge?'  
  
'And since when did you learn to swear like that?' Sasami threw Ayeka a murderous look. But even as Sasami spoke the sterness faded from her eyes and the heat died in her features, leaving a profound embarrassment in it's wake.  
  
'We're changing, aren't we?' she said softly. 'I mean, there was no way that was me....'  
  
'No,' Ayeka agreed. 'You are not speaking like - well, you are too... strident.'  
  
Sasami/Kiyone flushed, not knowing whether to feel disturbed or complimented by her sister's words.  
  
Ayeka saw the confusion in her sister's face and forced a weak smile. 'Don't worry, Sasami,' she said. 'There are far worse things you can be in this universe other than strident.'  
  
Sasami actually giggled, which prompted Ayeka to laugh. Which in turn...  
  
It may have been an unwise distraction. It could've been hysteria. It could've been the effects of the personality transfer. Or it could simply have been an unconscious desire to hear something beautiful and happy, and so ease the pain of a traumatic day.   
  
Whatever the reason, in a matter of moments they were both laughing uncontrollably.  
  
Sasami's head snapped around. 'If that wasn't a scream then I've never heard one before,' she said in a tight voice.  
  
Ayeka spun with her sister; there was absolutely no doubt about it this time. Her voice was equally tight as she raised her hand. 'It came from over there for sure-'  
  
Ayeka seemed to suddenly freeze in place. Sasami/Kiyone's eyes narrowed. 'What?' she demanded.  
  
The young princess followed her sister's gaze. Up ahead, faint but umistakeable, was a blue glow.  
  
Sasami's eyes widened in alarm, grabbing hold of Ayeka's arm with both hands, even as the Crown Princess moved towards it. 'Ayeka, how many times do I have to tell you-'  
  
'It's the same direction,' Ayeka insisted, trying to shake herself free of Sasami's grip. 'It CAN'T be a coincidence-'  
  
'You're not being rational!' Sasami's voice climbed in pitch and volume as she struggled with Ayeka. The adrenalin rush kicking into Sasami's brain would have turned Kiyone into the perfect tactical weapon; all it was doing to the young princess was rapidly edging her into uncontrolled panic.  
  
Sasami's spun around as a thunderous crash echoed around the small clearing they had stumbled into. 'What was that?' she demanded in a trembling voice.  
  
Ayeka found her balance as her sister's hands dropped away. 'I don't know,' she panted. 'Maybe someone's coming?' The Crown Princess glanced back nervously over her shoulder at the light that continued to shine with a dull but steady radiance.  
  
Up above, Kamadake had begun a rapid descent into the forest canopy, shielding Azaka and his human cargo from an abuse of smashed branches, twigs and leaves and allowing them to reach the ground quickly and safely.   
  
But Sasami's senses had gone into overdrive; things were happening too fast for her to adjust easily and she was unable to sort through the sensory overload pouring into her brain. The brief conflict with Ayeka had Sasami's legs trembling violently and she felt a sickening mixture of fear and excitement in her   
tomach.  
  
Nervously, Sasami reached her hand back towards Ayeka, seeking some kind of mental and physical support as she tried to focus her will. 'Come on Ayeka,' Sasami said, her voice sounding as though she had just finished a four day maration. 'If we can link up with Tenchi-'  
  
Ayeka said nothing. Sasami turned to her-  
  
'Ayeka-'  
  
But Ayeka was gone.  
  
'Ayekaaaa!!!!!' The shout bordered on a scream, and carried far in Kiyone's rich, powerful voice. It should've brought Ayeka back immediately but there was no response from her sister.  
  
To add to that, the mysterious light that had so hyptonised Ayeka had vanished.  
  
A rapid, thudding, crashing sound echoed behind Sasami/Kiyone. She turned, eyes wide in fear, the GP issue blaster seeming to materialise in her hand out of nowhere.  
  
'Don't shoot!!' It was Mihoshe's voice.  
  
'Sasami?' THAT was definitely Ayeka's voice.  
  
Except Ayeka was in Washu's body...  
  
'Washu!' with a soft 'flop' noise, the blaster fell into the mud. Sasami threw her arms around the body of her sister, needed at least to be close to some part of Ayeka. The child struggled to breathe as the sobs began.  
  
'She - she's gone,' Sasami gasped out between choking tears. 'I turned for a moment, and - and she just vanished. She's following a Yuurei -'  
  
'Marsh light.' Washu/Ayeka's jaw hardened in anxiety.  
  
'We've got to get after her,' Tenchi stated. 'There's no telling what trouble Ayeka could get into if she's out there bouncing around after a Will-o' the Wisp.'  
  
'Agreed,' Washu replied. 'But get Azaka and Kamadake to scan the terrain ahead of us; I don't fancy drinking any marsh water myself.' Washu gave Tenchi a pointed look. 'And whaddya mean, "bouncing"??'  
  
* * *  
  
Over a hundred miles away, An elderly gentleman suddenly awoke from a deep sleep. He sprang lightly from his hotel bed and moved swiftly to the window with all the stealth and speed of a Samurai. The blinds were quickly drawn back, and he found himself staring towards the place he had called home for many, many years.  
  
Yosho's eyes narrowed. 'Tsunami,' he said softly to himself, 'What are you playing at now...?'  
  
END OF CHAPTER 10 


	12. Suspicion

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo is the creative and distributive property of Masaki Kajishima, AIC and Pioneer. I own nothing of this and write only out of respect for a cool anime show. Be kind - don't sue!!  
  
For anyone interested in Reading and Reviewing this story, you can post your comments up at Fanfiction.net or send stuff to me at mccpcorn@hotmail.com  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Usually called Ryoko/Sasami in the story)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone's stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
The Story so Far: Ryoko and Ayeka have had an ugly argument, resulting in the Space Pirate running away into the forest and getting stuck in a flooded creek. During a desperate search Ryoko, Ayeka and Washu must face their own private demons in a race against time...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER 11: SUSPICION  
=====================  
  
Ayeka stumbled half blindly through the sodden trees. Washu's small height meant little trouble from branches, but there were numerous thickets and brambles to beware of. Ayeka was past caring. Her vision was spinning wildly and her mind felt under enormous pressure.   
  
All of a sudden she found herself falling to her knees, sinking an inch or too into the cold, clammy mud. The backs of her eyes felt afire and her stomach heaved painfully. Except for the fact she had not eaten since breakfast she would have long since vomited.  
  
Ayeka tried to blink away the blue and yellow spots that swam in front of her eyes. It was it difficult to focus on anything around her, except for one blob of light that remained fixed in her vision. It was blurry, but distinct; a lighter blue to the rest of her confused vision.  
  
She shook her head, hoping to clear it. But as she did so, Ayeka caught sight of something. Her left hand trembled as she reached out to pluck the small fragment of cloth from the low bush she knelt by. Stained, either with mud or blood, but unmistakable.  
  
'Sasami...' Ayeka whispered, heedless now of the fact she searched for Ryoko. 'Sasami!!'  
  
Coughing, Ayeka hauled herself to her feet and started running.  
  
* * *  
  
The lurch came without warning; for a moment it felt like Sasami's innards were all set to go leaping out of her mouth. Next came a wet slapping sound as the child's body slammed into the bank and slithered towards the muddy water. Gods NO!   
  
Ryoko/Sasami's eyes widened with fear. She scrabbled desperately at the breaking, twisting vines, trying to shut out the noise of rushing water and the fine spray across her face. Her heart thudded like a jackhammer; blood roared in her ears. She couldn't think, she couldn't plan. Not like this! Gods not like THIS!!!  
  
All she could do was scream.  
  
'NO NO NO NO NO!!!'  
  
Ryoko/Sasami fell waist deep into the water, still clinging to a few threads and twigs.  
  
'MOMMIIEEEEE!!!!!!!'  
  
The word was instinctive; automatic; Ryoko was barely aware she'd cried out. As the bulk of her temporary cradle fell away into the water all that mattered was survival.  
  
Ryoko's survival.   
  
Sasami's survival.  
  
It took all of Ryoko's reflexes and all Sasami's remaining strength to make the scrabbling leap that saved both their lives. The vines and twigs and become mashed into the muddy bank, providing some grip but little traction. But with nowhere else to go but down Ryoko/Sasami found herself clinging tightly to the bank, water swirling about her knees, the remaining branches that led to safety tantalisingly out of reach.  
  
Ryoko's panting breath began to subside as she regained some composure. It was all over now, she knew. There was no way she could make it up the side of the riverbank, and it was only a matter of time before her strength gave out and she tumbled into the water.  
  
The sudden urge to rest was overwhelming. Carefully, as if trying to preserve some final dignity for Sasami, Ryoko laid her head against the bank. She no longer heeded the soft, cold embrace of mud. A soft sigh escaped her lips as Ryoko/Sasami closed tired, hurt eyes.  
  
'Mommy...'  
  
* * *   
  
Washu had a headache.  
  
Back in the lab it had been Ayeka's kimono that had felt tight and restricting. Now it was the young princess' mind that was the ill-fitting culprit. No matter how much she tried to shut out the thoughts, some niggling little aspect of the Jurian's mind stubbornly echoed with grim conscience.  
  
It was Washu's fault Ryoko was in this mess; her fault and her responsibility. After standing or falling on her own for so long, being responsible for the well being of someone else was a source of great discomfort to her. She hadn't been responsible for the life of another since...  
  
Since him.  
  
The image of a child, little more than a baby really, came swimming reluctantly into Washu's mind, and she found herself slamming the door firmly shut on a bunch of memories so painful she could barely stand them, even after 20,000 years.  
  
Washu caught a brief glance at Sasami walking along next to her. The young princess was in Kiyone's body; a child within a woman. Again Washu's long buried memories were stirred, and once more she felt the tight ache in her heart at the future she never had. Washu's mind was getting tangled up with Ayeka's, and the Crown Princess' sense of responsibility and devotion to duty made it difficult to shake the memories loose.  
  
'Are you okay, Washu?' Kiyone's voice held Sasami's innocence and concern within it.   
  
'Uh, yeah, Sasami, thanks for asking.' Washu managed a slight smile as Sasami linked arms with her, taking comfort from the presence of her sister's physical form. Sasami had been almost in pieces when Washu and Tenchi - still stuck in Mihoshe's body - had found her, but with their reassuring presence she had recovered her composure completely. It was one blessing in an otherwise dreadful situation.  
  
My fault, my fault, it's all my fault... Washu squeezed her eyes shut. Ryoko's in Sasami's body, gods I hope they're both all right. And where's Ayeka? Damn her for running off like that! But she's probably almost as stir-crazy as I'm feeling...  
  
Wait a minute.  
  
Washu's brain clicked into a new gear. Pieces began dropping into place, forming a suspicious awareness...  
  
Ryoko was in Sasami's body.  
  
Washu was in Ayeka's body.  
  
Ayeka was in Washu's body.  
  
And all three of them were being forced to confront feelings they had more or less shut down within themselves; forced to face up to their vulnerabilities.  
  
The scientist's eyes narrowed with darkening suspicion. That scenario was just a little too much of a coincidence for Washu.  
  
Washu had always known that, at her heart, Ryoko was just a child. Now the pirate's physical form reflected her deepest inner self.  
  
And she's probably getting a pretty severe crash course in being helpless and vulnerable, Washu told herself. And Ayeka's being forced to grow out of that armoured-plated kimono she's built up about herself. That can't be a coincidence! It just CAN'T!   
  
Washu was mother to Ryoko, and Ayeka was sister to Sasami. Only now they were both; they'd become mother AND sister. Not just a reversal of roles, but a MERGER.  
  
There are too many emotional ties - no WONDER my head hurts! But if the accident had been MORE than just an accident...?  
  
As the revelation dawned on her, something quietly invaded Washu's mind. Something sad and lonely and lost.  
  
'Mommy...'  
  
Washu stiffened suddenly. Sasami/Kiyone, linking arms with her, was startled into an alarmed exclamation. Tenchi, who had been leading the way through the gloom, turned at the noise. 'Washu?' he said urgently (or at least as urgently as he could in Mihoshe's voice), 'What is it??'  
  
'I - I don't know,' she stammered, sounding extremely confused in Ayeka's soft voice. 'I, I felt something-'  
  
'Oh no!' Sasami's voice was a mix of Kiyone's strong, powerful alto and her own over-stressed emotions. 'Oh, Washu! PLEASE tell me nothing's happened to Ayeka!'  
  
Washu's eyes darted around; whatever the odd sensation was it was tired - and growing steadily weaker. She felt cold and confused, but even as she tried to focus upon herself a steady, insistent pressure bore down upon her. A voice, distant but strong, seemed to echo in her head.  
  
No, dear sister, it said. Not this way.  
  
Washu collapsed.  
  
* * *  
  
'Mommy...'  
  
Ayeka had been making fair progress when she suddenly found herself overwhelmed by a fresh nausea. She fell again to the ground, her vision a dancing blue blur. It was suddenly hard to concentrate on anything, as Ayeka found her mind inexplicably filled with images of the Masaki household; it's inhabitants, and other memories.  
  
Seemingly ancient memories.  
  
Intensely passionate memories...  
  
Despite the cold, despite the rain, Ayeka suddenly found herself hotly flushed. She squeezed her eyes shut, but found that only served to enhance, not diminish, long buried thoughts.  
  
A long life.  
  
A lost love.  
  
A fading hope.  
  
Beautiful dreams.  
  
Dear, sweet sisters...  
  
Ayeka suddenly found herself seemingly pulled from one memory to the next, as if she were a tourist taking in the sites.  
  
This is all wrong. These are Washu's memories; her deepest, private property.  
  
Yet somehow, it seemed they were being deliberately shown to her. Perhaps in answer to hidden questions, or more likely to simply soothe her own anxieties.  
  
There was a beautiful child with flowing blonde hair; A tall, dark man, silhouetted against the light which made her heart race. Intense pain and intense dedication. Love and Betrayal.  
  
Endless searching; endless devotion.  
  
A beautiful young woman; someone Ayeka recognised.  
  
Ayeka's eyes snapped open; she looked up.  
  
It was she.  
  
Ayeka smiled. Of course.  
  
'Yes,' the young princess said. 'I understand now; it will be as you say.'  
  
She pulled herself to her feet and resumed her destiny.  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko was motionless, her mind as still as her body. Only her lips continued to move, mouthing the word silently; the only word left in her head.  
  
'Mommy...'  
  
She was going at last, a part of her realised. She was finally letting go; it wouldn't be long now.  
  
Ryoko carried only two thoughts with her: a hope that Sasami would somehow find it in her generous heart to forgive her, someday, and that somehow things could've ended up differently.   
  
If only that she hadn't died like this. People were searching for her now, she knew; she could hear their faint cries echoing through the trees. But her energy was spent. It didn't matter whether they were a hundred yards away or a hundred miles - Ryoko simply couldn't hold on any longer.  
  
I'm so sorry... Sasami... Mommy...  
  
It was so faint that she didn't notice it right away; a dim glow gently enveloped her. It vaguely reminded Ryoko of the light that had awoken her earlier, just in time to escape. All of a sudden though, Ryoko found herself surrounded by a glowing energy; a pale blue that grew to a warm, homely orange.  
  
And Ryoko was no longer alone.  
  
She blinked the tears and muck out of her eyes as she struggled to focus on the figure before her. A person, almost ghostly in appearance, with a smiling - but sad - face. Tsunami.  
  
A strange anger stirred weakly within the Space Pirate. Her eyes grew hard. I should've known she'd put her oar in somewhere! 'I don't want your damn pity!' Ryoko's voice was a thin, wounded and shrill.   
  
Tsunami said nothing. But then she didn't have to.  
  
Her task was done.  
  
Ayeka's was only just beginning.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 11 


	13. Games of a Goddess

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo is the creative and distributive property of Masaki Kajishima, AIC and Pioneer. I own nothing of this and write only out of respect for a cool anime show. You will gain nothing by suing me so why doncha just kick back and enjoy the story instead! =D  
  
For anyone interested in offering reviews of this story, you can post your comments up at Fanfiction.net or send stuff to me at mccpcorn@hotmail.com  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Usually called Ryoko/Sasami in the story)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone's stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
The Story so Far: As Ryoko desperately awaits rescue Washu finds an unexpected 'culprit' behind the situation...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
Chapter 12: GAMES OF A GODDESS  
==============================  
  
Washu's collapse was as shocking as it was unexpected. One moment she had been marching, strong with purpose and determination; the next she simply folded in on herself. Only Sasami's grip stopped the scientist from falling face down in the muddy earth. 'Washu!' she cried in alarm.  
  
'Damn!' Tenchi swore under his breath as he grabbed hold of Washu and hauled her limp form to its feet. She was white as a sheet and sweat beaded her face as if from a fever. She was mumbling incoherently. 'What's wrong, Washu?' Tenchi demanded, only then realising how foolish the question was; Washu was hardly in a position to give a reply.  
  
Tenchi lurched in surprise as he found himself and Washu bathed in an eerie red glow; a beam of light was emanating from Azaka's single electronic eye. It was joined by a blue one from Kamadake. 'I am reading a major surge in brain activity,' Azaka commented.  
  
'Higher brain functions have become rapid, violent and disorganised,' Kamadake added.  
  
'Translation: her mind's all over the place,' Tenchi grunted as he struggled to keep both himself and Washu standing.  
  
'Tenchi, what does it mean?' Sasami sounded a lot more than half terrified.   
  
'It means something's happened in Washu's head,' Tenchi replied. 'I'm no genius, but I'd say Ayeka's brain is rejecting Washu's personality.'  
  
'But why Washu?' Sasami's voice was helpless frustration. 'I mean, she knows better than anyone what's going on and how to deal with it. I'd expect her to have the strongest mind of all of us.'  
  
'And that may be the problem,' Tenchi replied softly. Looking about he found a patch of wet grass, which was at least better than wet mud. Carefully, he lowered himself and Washu to a kneeling position on the ground. 'Maybe the great strength of Washu's will is far more closely bound to her body, making it more vulnerable to something like this. Add to that all the distractions - worrying about Ryoko - and maybe Washu just wasn't able to hold onto herself.' Tenchi looked up at the tree tops in frustration.  
  
'Dammit! Now we need to find Ryoko AND Ayeka, and Washu is too ill to go any further.' Tenchi looked at Sasami. 'I need you to go with Washu. Take Azaka and get back to the house.'  
  
'But Tenchi -!'  
  
'Me and Kamadake will look for Ayeka, but Washu needs help NOW.' Tenchi smiled. 'Don't worry about the others; I'll find them. I promise.'  
  
Tenchi's heart ached as Sasami gave a sweet but sad smile. 'Okay,' she replied. 'But remember: you promised.'  
  
Tenchi nodded.  
  
In a few moments, Azaka was drifting back into the sky and off in the direction of the house.  
  
'Good luck,' he whispered softly to himself. He turned to Kamadake. 'Let's go.'  
  
As Tenchi set out to keep his promise, he had no way of knowing that Sasami had whispered exactly the same thing to him as he had to her.  
  
But he knew all the same.  
  
* * *  
  
It was rather like viewing a tank that contained a collection of those little Mass creatures. Only from the inside.  
  
Washu had no idea where she was. There was nothing to see but a shapeless, formless ether, neither space nor matter. Nor could she hear anything; not as much as a breath of wind. It wasn't even just silence or emptiness. There was nothing to touch, nothing to taste; Washu wasn't even sure if she was breathing.   
  
There was just nothing.   
  
With an effort the scientist fought down the queasy feeling that rolled around in her stomach. There wasn't even a sensation of falling or floating, which left her innards absolutely no clue which way was up. All she knew for sure was that -  
  
First: A complete absence of all forms of sensory perception was an extremely not good thing, and -  
  
Second: That she was not alone and had no intention of puking up until whoever it was revealed themselves.  
  
Greetings, sister Washu.  
  
The words flowed through Washu's thoughts like warm water; subtle, beautiful, powerful. It was a startling, yet oddly soothing sensation that calmed her nerves and eased her discomfort. Presently a faint blue glow appeared in front of her, shaping itself into the form of a young woman.  
  
And Washu knew it was she.  
  
Tsunami floated before the scientist, wearing her usual serene expression. That can only mean...  
  
Yes, sister. You are home.  
  
Washu flushed. The words were straightforward enough, but there was no denying the playful amusement behind the casual intrusion into Washu's thoughts. You never did have much of a sense of privacy, did you? she grumbled.  
  
This time there was no mistaking the giggle. I had a good teacher, sister.   
  
Washu grunted under her breath, looking around as she did so. Here in the void between one reality and another three sisters had made their home. It had been a happy home, but to all things came an end, and even siblings moved on... Not exactly how I remember it, she said conversationally.  
  
Indeed not, her sister replied, her expression sombre. We both chose paths away from this place. In doing so we lost a part of our home. Whilst here you are free of your mortal body, and so your essence has assumed the form that it always knew.  
  
On impulse Washu looked at herself to discover that she was in her true form, one even her family on Earth had not seen. It was her consciousness alone, it seemed. A subliminal impression?   
  
Yes. Even so, your mortal senses are too primitive to make sense of it, and so your home is denied to you.  
  
It was a curious, if somewhat useless nugget of information, but one the scientist was glad to have. So I was right. It WAS you who put your oar into things.  
  
In that dearest sister, I can confess only to taking advantage of anthers ploy; someone infinitely more skilled and mischievous than I am. Tsunami's words carried humour and chastisement in equal measure, and Washu could offer nothing in response except an embarrassed silence.   
  
Tsunami spoke into the gap in the conversation: I had to bring you here. You discovered what I had done, and so I wished to explain my motives. Tsunami sighed, as if bracing herself.   
  
This is very difficult for me, she began. I did not interfere lightly, but at the time I felt I had no choice...  
  
As Tsunami continued, a light seemed to fill Washu's mind. It coalesced into images stretching back hours, months, and years...  
  
* * *  
  
It had all begun with Washu's mischievous little scheme.  
  
Tsunami had known about it of course, as she was always aware of her sisters' games. She'd had no part in waking Ryoko, but Tsunami had been quietly impressed at how quickly the pirate had grasped the situation, and also deeply touched by her devotion to Tenchi.   
  
Tsunami had watched with amusement as Ryoko pulled Washu's experiment apart, but when the pirate began gathering that photon blast in her hand it stopped being a game. Tsunami was fully aware of the potential for disaster, and the goddess had realised she had only a fraction of a second to intervene.  
  
It had taken all Tsunami's skill to see Ryoko's shot was well aimed, and in doing so had probably saved everyone. But even as Washu's invention overloaded, an odd realisation occurred to the goddess.  
  
Tenchi's family had great love and compassion, and from that they drew great strength at times of dire need. But the rest of the time they were locked tightly together, like the frozen wheels of some intricate mechanism. Something beautiful to look upon, but erratic and unpredictable in its function.  
  
And as the personality transfer was going to happen anyway...  
  
The personalities had needed love and care to preserve them in their traumatic transition, but the destinations Tsunami herself had chosen.  
  
You see, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts, but the parts didn't really have a clue how they fitted together. And Tsunami had reasoned that the best way for them to understand their own place was if they understood everyone else's. That would surely lead to a greater insight into themselves, and a deeper compassion for their loved ones.  
  
It was never going to pleasant, but the impromptu opportunity provided by Washu had finally led to true hope.  
  
A hope of healing.  
  
A hope of renewal.  
  
A hope for a new beginning.  
  
Because as part of Sasami, Tsunami was Ayeka's sister. And because she was a goddess, Tsunami was also Washu's sister.  
  
And now, with Ryoko's mind within Sasami's body, Tsunami was also a part of her.  
  
In that sense, Tsunami was just as much a part of the family as anyone else, and the desire to heal them of hurt was only natural. It was the perfect time for her family to stop fighting.   
  
And it was up to her to see that it was so.  
  
* * *  
  
The light faded, and the images in Washu's mind gently dissolved back into the ether. I see, she said after a moment's contemplation.   
  
You understand? Tsunami's voice echoed through Washu's mind, a mixture of embarrassment and pleading.  
  
I understand that you stepped in to safeguard everyone, Washu answered, but that instead of allowing our personalities to settle randomly YOU decided the destinations.  
  
Tsunami sighed. Yes. It began with Sasami. As she is a part of me, I am a part of her. As you discovered with Ryoko, the bond flows both ways; it is the same with I. Let's say I was... influenced. Tsunami actually looked embarrassed.  
  
Washu nodded, a knowing look on her face. You saw an opportunity and acted on it, without thinking?  
  
Yes. Tsunami lowered her head again. You must understand: Sasami can't bear to see everyone she loves fight. I knew it was... questionable, but I rationalised it away because I felt I was helping. I convinced myself it was necessary.  
  
Washu sighed to herself. One moment's weakness... she muttered under her breath. Inwardly she was fuming. She didn't know quite where to put her gaze, but most certainly not on her sister. All this time I thought it was MY scheme that backfired when it was YOURS! I mean why didn't you just ASK me? she demanded, looking up at her Tsunami. We could've worked something out together!  
  
Because you had issues of your own to address, Tsunami replied in a quiet, subdued voice. And there would never be a better time for you to address them.  
  
And who gave you the right to make that kind of decision on our behalf? Washu pressed, angry without exactly knowing why.  
  
Tsunami's face became a mask of sterness. Who gave you the right to try and take Tenchi in the way you did? the Goddess countered. Who gave you the right to create Ryoko? Who gave her the right to harm Jurai? Who gave Ayeka the right to hate her for it? Who gave me the right to assimilate with Sasami and save her life? Who gives ANYONE the right to make a decision on behalf of another? Or to act in control of another person's life?  
  
Washu faltered. I - I'm not sure I know what you mean...  
  
Tsunami's expression softened. Our very existence gives us the right to act, dear sister, she said gently. Whoever we may be, and wherever we are. And only wisdom, hope, and time can tell if we make the right choices. Am I not also a part of this family? Am I not allowed to get as tired of all the bickering and infighting as anyone else? This was never intended, but I can help to resolve it.  
  
Well we'll have to work quickly, Washu warned her sister. Time's running out for Ryoko.  
  
Tsunami smiled slightly. It is already done.  
  
It took a moment for Washu to catch on. Ayeka?  
  
Tsunami nodded. Washu gave a wry look in response. You think you have it all planned out doncha?  
  
Tsunami grew sombre again. In that I have learned my lesson, she replied. The lives of my loved ones are too precious to me, no matter how honourable the intentions.  
  
Washu nodded gravely. So what's the plan?  
  
Tsunami gave another slight smile and told her.  
  
* * *  
  
Washu's eyes snapped open.   
  
With a motion so swift it almost startled Sasami/Kiyone off Azaka, the scientist jerked upright. 'Where am I?' she demanded.  
  
Sasami gasped for breath. 'You're with me and Azaka,' she explained. 'We're going back to the house.' Even as Sasami finished, the lights of the Masaki house came into view. Azaka, as if sensing the urgency within Washu, picked up speed.  
  
'Good,' Washu stated. 'I need to get back to work on fixing the machine. If all goes well it should be ready by the time Ayeka brings Ryoko back.'  
  
Sasami floundered a moment, her face carrying a look that was a mixture of wonder and disbelief. 'Ayeka's found Ryoko?? How?'  
  
'No, not yet,' Washu replied. 'But she will soon. As for how I know, I'll tell you sometime. Right now I need your help to fix this thing. You up to it?'  
  
Sasami/Kiyone looked surprised. 'Me?? How can I help?'  
  
Washu smiled. 'By doing EXACTLY what I tell you. Can you do that?'  
  
Sasami/Kiyone's face became determined. 'Yes.'  
  
Azaka slowed as they reached the ground, allowing Washu/Ayeka to dismount nimbly. Sasami/Kiyone followed suit. 'Go get Kiyone and Mihoshe,' Washu ordered the guardian. 'They're probably wondering what the hell's going on.'  
  
'At once, Mistress Washu,' Azaka responded at once.  
  
'That's LITTLE Washu!' the scientist barked - or at least as well as she could using Ayeka's voice.   
  
If a Guardian could sweatdrop, the Azaka would have done. Instead he gave a diplomatic 'Affirmative' and rose back into the sky.   
  
Washu watched him for half a second before shooting a look at Sasami. 'Let's go.'  
  
The two of them darted back into the house.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 12  
  
Endnote: Sorry if this chapter doesn't quite seem as up to scratch as some of the others. I've had real problems ironing out some of the kinks and sometimes you just have to go with what you have. I'll understand if anyone wants to moan about the quality though. ^^;;; 


	14. Awareness

Disclaimer: Although this is my own story, Tenchi Muyo is the creative and distributive property of Masaki Kajishima, AIC and Pioneer. I own absolutely nothing of the franchise, and write only out of respect for one of my fave animes. If anyone connected to the above reads this, I would much rather you hired me than sued me! ^_^  
  
For anyone interested in offering reviews of this story, you can post your comments up at Fanfiction.net or send stuff to me at mccpcorn@hotmail.com  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Usually called Ryoko/Sasami in the story)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone's stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
The Story so Far: Tenchi searches for Ayeka and Ryoko as Washu works frantically to save them all. But as things get desperate, perhaps Ayeka is not as alone as she thinks...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
Chapter 13: Awareness  
=====================  
  
As Tenchi hurtled through the forest he found that whatever Mihoshe's other failings - and she had many - she was a superb runner. She was fast, manoeuvrable, well balanced, and had great stamina. No matter how foul the terrain, Tenchi always seemed to put his/her feet in just the right place.   
  
Up ahead, Kamadake tore through the undergrowth and obstacles like a battering ram, multicoloured beams of light radiating from his single eye as the Guardian scanned every frequency and measured every tiny clue to the whereabouts of Ayeka and Ryoko.  
  
'Miiyaaa!'  
  
Tenchi skidded to an ungraceful stop, almost landing backside-first in the muddy earth. Clearly Mihoshe was at her best on the move rather than standing still. 'Ryo-Ohki!?' he demanded in Mihoshe's high pitched voice, 'Is that you??'  
  
It was. The little cabbit didn't look much better than Tenchi/Mihoshe did. Her fur was matted with water and mud and she shivered violently with the cold. Her eyes shook with pained emotion.   
  
Tenchi knelt down and scooped Ryo-Ohki up into his hands. She looked about as miserable as Tenchi had ever seen her. 'What are you doing out here all alone?' he asked as he rubbed the little cabbit behind her ears. He stroked her fur, trying to get her circulation going again.  
  
Ryo-Ohki's expression fell even further. 'Mi miya!! Meow mee miya mi!'  
  
'Ryo-Ohki says that she jumped from Princess Sasami's head and followed Princess Ayeka when they became separated,' Kamadake translated helpfully.   
  
Ryo-Ohki nodded vigorously. 'Miyaa mee meyaa!'  
  
'What did she say?' Tenchi asked.  
  
'She said Ayeka was running too fast for her to keep up,' Kamadake replied sadly. 'Ryo-Ohki has been following her trail but the poor conditions make it difficult.'  
  
'Wait, back up,' Tenchi interrupted, looking very hard at Ryo-Ohki. 'You can TRACE Ayeka?'  
  
Ryo-Ohki nodded again. 'Miyaa! Mi miyaa!'  
  
'The trail is faint, but Ryo-Ohki can detect Mistress Washu's scent,' Kamadake continued to translate. 'If Ryo-Ohki wishes to interface with me I can use my enhanced sensors to magnify the trail and continue pursuit.'  
  
The cabbit needed no urging. She leapt swiftly from Tenchi/Mihoshe's hands and up onto Kamadake. Ryo-Ohki then extended her front claws so that they gently sank into the Guardian's outer skin. Kamadake's single eye dimmed a moment as he adjusted to the finer points of the link-up. At the same time the jewel embedded in Ryo-Ohki's forehead glowed brightly.   
  
After a moment, Kamadake's eye lit up again. 'We're ready,' the Guardian announced.  
  
Tenchi/Mihoshe nodded, a look of grim satisfaction on his/her face. 'Then let's get going.'  
  
* * *  
  
The terrain up ahead had eased slightly, although Ayeka had slipped a few times in the mud. She seemed to be following a long disused path through the forest, though where it might lead she couldn't begin to guess.  
  
It can't be a coincidence; it just CAN'T!  
  
Ayeka had not seen the blue light - or figure, or whatever the hell it was - for some time. She reasoned it was because she was on the proper path; it never occurred to her that the marsh light may have just dissipated.  
  
Ayeka slipped again, as much from exhaustion as anything else. She lay there momentarily, sprawled in the mud, fighting against the drowsiness and nausea that threatened to overcome her. She simply had to rest before she went any further, otherwise her lungs would explode.  
  
She hauled herself to a kneeling position before slumping forward. Her hands, stretched out before her, went sinking into the mud as she fought breath. But with rest came stability, and gradually her strength began to return.  
  
Ayeka took a moment to examine herself, or rather Washu's body. The scientist's stocking legs were caked with mud; the stockings themselves riddled with ladders and tears. Her shirt had not fared much better with the sleeves torn along the elbows and forearms. The Science Academy badge was dull and stained. Her hair was a mess, soaked with water and plastered with mud.  
  
A fresh stab of pain lanced through Ayeka's head, as if someone were repeatedly jabbing an ice-pick into her ear. There was an itching, burning sensation inside her brain, and her vision sparked wildly. Ayeka's whole mind and body felt afire, as though one was being torn from the other.  
  
My mind's shifting back, she realised. I'm being completely overcome. I've got to find Ryoko quickly, otherwise we're BOTH doomed!   
  
How she was to find her way back with Ryoko was something Ayeka had yet to consider; finding the pirate was proving difficult enough. It was typical of Ryoko that once again she was never around when she was needed.  
  
In any case, Ayeka no longer had a say in the matter. Whatever was driving her it had supplanted her own will.  
  
So she started running again.  
  
* * *  
  
'All right! We hear you!' came the muffled response to Azaka's pleading. A moment later, Mihoshe in Ryoko's body and Kiyone in Tenchi's body were teleported through the rock of the shrine to meet the Guardian. 'Report,' Kiyone/Tenchi ordered.  
  
'Mistress Washu is completing repairs to the machine,' Azaka replied. 'Sasami is assisting her. Ayeka became separated from the group in the search for Ryoko, but Tenchi and Kamadake are confident of finding her.'  
  
'Where does Washu want us?' Kiyone asked.  
  
'You are to report back to the house,' Azaka answered.  
  
'Well come on then.' Kiyone paused as she noticed the Guardian's hesitation; she felt her - Tenchi's rather - face begin to warm. 'A question?' she asked.  
  
'Um, no, not at all,' the Guardian replied, all too quickly. 'However I was considering the length of time you and Mistress Mihoshe were searching this area.'  
  
Kiyone/Tenchi silenced Mihoshe/Ryoko with a single stare before the thought of saying anything could even enter her partner's mind. 'It's a labyrinth in there,' she explained, as casually as she could. 'So much to explore. We needed to... thoroughly search the - the area.'   
  
Mihoshe/Ryoko tried to stifle a giggle. She failed. Azaka sweatdropped, and Kiyone gave Mihoshe an unfriendly look.   
  
'Let's get out of here,' the detective growled.  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko's mind pulsed as erratically as her pounding heart; her soul felt as though it was withering in flames.  
  
Damn you, Tsunami! she thought to herself. Stay out of this! I have enough problems as it is!!  
  
Patience, came the quiet, insistent voice.  
  
'Don't WANT to be patient...' Ryoko/Sasami writhed slowly pain against the river bank. All she wanted to do was sleep...  
  
No! the voice came again firmly. Do NOT sleep!  
  
A fresh twinge of agony, either real or imaginary jolted Ryoko to a dull, unwanted awareness. 'Damn it, I'm sorry, Sasami,' Ryoko whispered softly.  
  
As am I, the voice replied.  
  
Far away, tears fell from Tsunami's cheeks. Sasami, dearest child, please forgive me...  
  
* * *  
  
Back at the lab, Washu suddenly fell to her hands and knees.  
  
Sasami/Kiyone was at her side in seconds. 'Washu!?' she demanded.  
  
'I - I'm all right,' Washu replied, although she was clearly not. Her brain felt as if it were draining away down a plug hole.  
  
Not my brain, the scientist realised with distant alarm. My mind. It's shifting back to my own body, or being rejected by Ayeka's altogether. Washu struggled against the unconsciousness that threatened to overwhelm her.   
  
Behind her closed eyes Washu's vision seemed dimmed, as if in a tangled fog. Images flashed through her mind: trees; a fierce cold. She felt as though she were falling; there was a tangled collection of branches, tearing at her arms and face. Her feet skidded in loose mud...  
  
The scientist drew a sharp breath. Gods NO! Not NOW!! I'm needed here!!   
  
'Get OUT of my mind!' Washu hissed coldly. She shook her head so violently Sasami worried it would fall off altogether. 'Washu - please!' she pleaded. 'What IS it?'  
  
Washu/Ayeka dug her fingers painfully into the palms of her hand; gradually the images faded. 'Nothing I can't handle, for now anyway,' she replied grimly.  
  
Setting her teeth and struggling to concentrate, Washu tried to work faster.  
  
* * *  
  
I can't go on! Ayeka moaned to herself. She had never felt so weak, but she dare not rest in case she could not rise again. She was no longer walking; her movements resembled more of a drunken stagger. Her breath wheezed painfully as the cold air bit into her lungs.  
  
Ayeka inexplicably found her head full of strange thoughts and images. She felt a strange warmth; she even fancied she could hear Kiyone's voice, but she sounded so very far away...  
  
All of a sudden, as if on cue to some summons, Ayeka's strength completely gave out. She collapsed, falling face down in a pool of muddy water. For a moment the only sign she was alive were the faint bubbles in the water as she struggled to breathe.  
  
'Get OUT of my mind...'  
  
The hissing, almost violent tone behind the words echoing through Ayeka's mind jolted the Crown Princess back to a full, startled awareness. Ayeka's whole body jerked, and her head thrashed in feeble alarm as she struggled to lift herself.   
  
Ayeka just barely had the strength to haul her upper body clear of the ground before she retched, coughing violently as she spat mud and bile from her mouth. She turned away in mechanical disgust, moving on hands and knees like a wretched animal.  
  
But even as she turned, Ayeka's hands slipped once more in the mud. For a moment it felt as though the ground had completely given way beneath her; she found herself tumbling wildly over her own feet through a tangle of leaves, roots and mud.   
  
Ayeka dimly realised that she had rolled down a slope.  
  
Fortunately much of the water had drained away through a multitude of small, creek-like troughs that ran close to the pathway she had been following - possibly drainage for the path above. Although sodden, the ground about her was drying out more rapidly.  
  
This had left a number of stones and roots exposed. As she half fell, half stumbled, Ayeka found herself dragged to an abrupt halt as her foot caught in a protrusion of roots and stones. Her body spun left, and Ayeka winced as she felt her right ankle twist savagely, caught at a sharp angle in the knot of roots.   
  
She pulled her bruised foot free and lashed out at the bushes with her left arm. Ayeka caught hold of a firmly buried stone and managed to bring herself to a full halt.  
  
For a moment, Ayeka could do nothing except pant for breath, biting back the pain from her throbbing ankle. But as the initial shock subsided she regained her senses.   
  
A quick scan of her surroundings told the princess she had been but moments from death; not three feet away the ground plunged away still further into yet another creek-bed. This one raged with the rainwater of the storm, it's current sluggish, but strong. With no grip or purchase against the muddy banks there was a good chance Ayeka would have drowned had she fallen in.  
  
But even as the shocking clarity of that revelation hit home, Ayeka became aware of something. A faint, rasping sound, almost like breathing.  
  
No. Not breathing. A whimpering.  
  
It was the whimpering of a child.  
END OF CHAPTER 13 


	15. Awakenings

Chapter 14: Awakenings

======================

For a single, heartstopping second, Ayeka thought she was too late. The small figure, just below her and to her right, was so still and frozen as to defy any chance of being alive. The whimpering Aykea had heard must just have been the wind.

Then Sasami coughed. It was little more than a sick sounding splutter, but it forced Sasami's head to twist feebly.

Ayeka/Washu stared at Ryoko/Sasami. This is what she had been desperate for since leaving the house, what? Four hours ago? Five? Yet all of a sudden she was terrified to do anything, lest the spell be broken and the body of her sister vanish into the ether. 

Was Ayeka just imagining the child? 

Or had she arrived only in time to watch her sister's body crumble into the water? 

Trying to be as quiet as possible, Ayeka began to slowly crawl through the mud towards the bank, ignoring the insistant, throbbing pain of her right ankle. The last thing she wanted to do was startle Ryoko into falling, but if Ayeka could at least get a grip on Sasami's body...

Ayeka found herself glancing back and forth between Sasami and a gnarled, old tree just to Ayeka's left. Part of the roots hung out over the creek, just above Sasami. If Ayeka could work her way along the overhang to where she was directly above the child, she could maybe grab ahold of Ryoko and haul her up. The pirate would be surprised, but Ayeka doubted she would have the strength to struggle much, even if she wanted to.

It was then Sasami's head lifted to regard her with pink, solemn eyes.

Ayeka kept her face straight, but her mind was suddenly filled by a single word in large, bold letters.

Oh SHIT....

* * *

Up above the forest canopy, a dark, sleek, spidery object drifted. The scant moonlight glinted metallically off Ryo-Ohki's hull as the cabbit/spaceship hung serenly over the treetops.

Washu had been adamantly against Ryo-Ohki using her spaceship form in the search for Ryoko. It wasn't exactly the most subtle of tactics to employ, and given the pirate's fragile state of mind the scientist had feared it would drive Ryoko away from the searchers and have her run helter-skelter off a cliff or into a river.

But Washu wasn't here anymore. And as far as Tenchi was concerned they were out of options.

Tenchi/Mihoshe studied the sensors with a mixture of intensity and detachment as Ryo-Ohki quartered and requartered the search grid. Although the storm had departed, it had left a lot of atmospheric distortion in its wake, and even the cabbit's sophisticated array of sensors were having trouble making sense out of it all. The cold, brooding tree canopy added to the white noise, smothering the thermal imaging systems and making them virtually useless.

'A police chopper would proably have a better chance of finding them,' Tenchi brooded aloud. He ran a nervous tongue over his teeth, touching gently against Mihoshe's fangs. It was so easy to forget that she was, in fact, an alien...

'The heat signature of a single child IS rather difficult to locate, even under the best of conditions,' Kamadake replied. The Guardian was still outside, acting as a signal booster for Ryo-Ohki's scans. 'And these have proven far from ideal.'

'So I guess we keep scanning, right Ryo-Ohki?' Tenchi/Mihoshe's asked in a resigned tone of voice.

'Miyaaa...' came the cabbit's equally mournful reply.

* * *

'Ryoko.'

Ayeka was surprised at how hard it was to form the word; her lips were cracked and her mouth was so dry. She vaguely realised she had spoken very little in the past few hours. All of a sudden she desperately wanted a drink of cool, fresh water.

Or tea; or sake; or brandy; or whisky. Anything that would wash the rancid taste of clay and muddy rainwater from her mouth.

Ayeka tried again: 'Ryoko. Stay there; I'll be with you in a moment.' Ayeka raised her body and prepared to reach down.

Ryoko jerked so violently that for a terrifying instant Ayeka thought Sasami's body would fall backwards into the water, with those pink, solemn eyes following Ayeka all the way down; riveting the princess in silent, bitter accusation. 

'Stay away!' 

Ryoko/Sasami's voice was a thin, dry shrill. Any further response was choked off by a bout of violent, high pitched coughing.

Ayeka froze solid. Part of her was desperate to just lunge down there and grab this idiotic pirate-in-a-princess; the other part was fearful even to breathe. 

Carefully, Ayeka/Washu backed away so that only her head was visible to Ryoko from below. 'Ryoko, you can't stay there,' Ayeka tried and failed to keep the exasperation from her voice, squeezing her eyes shut as a fresh wave of nausea washed over her. For a split second she fancied she could see Kiyone's face hovering anxiously in front of her...

Not NOW dammit!!

Had Ayeka said that - or had it been Washu?

The moment passed. Ayeka reopened her eyes; Ryoko was before her again.

The Jurian resumed crawling towards the overhanging tree-root, all the time never taking her eyes off Ryoko/Sasami. 'You can't stay there,' Ayeka repeated firmly. 'You'll get yourself killed.'

Ayeka had to work hard to keep any bitternes or accusation out of her voice, lest it send Ryoko over the edge. In all truth, despite being shocked at the pirate's appearance, Ayeka knew that she herself looked little better. Any bitterness in her voice would have been aimed more at herself - but Ryoko would never believe that.

Ayeka's vision began sparking again; she could see images of Washu's lab, flashing by in rapid succession. They created a strobing, moving image that tied her brain up in knots. It was like superimposing two movies on top of each other and trying to watch both at the same time. Only the voice came through loud and true: STALL!!

Ayeka's hand brushed against the tree root. The princess scrabbled backwards, trying to climb over it without taking her eyes off Ryoko/Sasami.

'Why do you care if I live or die?' the child demanded, almost petulantly.

'I DO care, Ryoko,' Ayeka replied, realising she was speaking to the pirate in exactly the same manner she would berate an erring child. 'There's no-one else here; that makes you MY responsibility. And I'll be DAMNED if I let anything else happen to you. You're my BABY.'

Had she just SAID that??

OR was that Washu again...?

Ayeka risked a quick glance at the root. It was rugged, with deep clefts in the bark providing excellent grip for Washu's small hands. But it was covered in moss - fed by water dripping down from above - and the torrential rain had made its surface slimey and slippery.

'You wont get across that way,' Ryoko replied, her voice almost darkly satisfied. 'It's too slippery. I tried, an' I fell. I couldn't help it; I'm sorry.' Ayeka stared in wonder as Sasami's small body was wracked by a powerful sob. Dark lines creased around the child's eyes as they squeezed tightly shut; Sasami's face twisted into a mask of anguish, and her head leant softly back against the bank as she quivered in grief.

'I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... Ayeka; Sasami... please forgive me... Mommy...'

* * *

'I'm sorry... I'm so so very sorry...' Kiyone choked back the sobs as she struggled to focus her eyes on the circuit board she held in her hands. 

She jerked slightly as she felt the cool muzzle of an injector-spray against her neck.

'Easy, Sasami,' Washu replied in Ayeka's silky smooth voice. 'This will help you concentrate.'

The artificial adrenaline was like a blast of hot air through Sasami/Kiyone's brain; the clouds in front of her eyes vanished before she could blink.

'Better?' Ayeka asked.

Sasami/Kiyone looked at her - sister? - and nodded. 'Yes.'

Washu nodded. The kick she'd given herself was already wearing off, but she didn't want to risk another shot just yet. 'Let's get back to work.'

* * *

At the door to Washu's lab, a shaken Mihoshe helped an equally shaken Kiyone to her feet. 'How are you feeling?' she asked.

Kiyone/Tenchi shook her/his head. 'Rough,' she replied. 'I should at least have been drinking to feel this bad.'

'And don't I know about THAT,' Ryoko grumbled as she scratched her own head.

Kiyone looked at Mihoshe hard. 

'Oops,' Mihoshe giggled prettily.

* * *

Tenchi unclenched Mihoshe's fists. He'd forgotten how much longer her fingernails were than his own; he stared darkly at the small marks of blood in the palms of her hands.

'Dammit,' he whispered.

* * *

A dark anger began to well up inside Ayeka at the utter stupidity of their situation. 

Why is it always us? she demanded bitterly of herself. How much MORE will my family have to suffer?? Why should there have to be so much misery and pain?

Ayeka looked back at the root, her eyes smouldering with a sudden, flaming determination. She tore Washu's shirt from her body, ripping it roughly down the fastenings. It had been reduced to little more than a sodden rag, and Ayeka was in no mood to be bashful. 

Pulling her arms free of the torn sleeves, Ayeka flung the shirt broadly over the tree-root. She then climbed up herself, and reached down underneath to the hanging sleeves. It was tricky job tying them together without being able to see what she was doing, but Ayeka soon had the shirt wrapped securely around the tree.

That should give me some more grip, Ayeka told herself as she began squirming forward. She was careful to lock her legs together underneath as she stretched her hands out in front of her to grip the cracked, greasy bark through the shirt. 

The cold air bit into Ayeka's exposed skin, breaking her out in goosebumps. Ayeka ignored it though; it was time for this madness to end, and it was up to her to end it, anyway she could. 

Casting anxious glances at Ryoko/Sasami, Ayeka moved out over the flooded creek.

Ryoko had somehow sensed the change. As Ayeka watched the child, the pirate turned her head towards the Jurian and opened her eyes. They suddenly became sharp and aware as she focussed in on Ayeka/Washu.

'Stay AWAY! I KNOW you!'

'Ryoko!'

'You'll hit me again.'

'No! I swear! Let me help you!'

'No! I don't believe you! I've been bad.'

The simplicity of those three words struck Ayeka. The words of an apolegetic child who feared further punishment.

Not just fear. She was terrified.

Ayeka's face flushed with hot shame as her own anger turned on itself. She'd been wrong; she knew that. She wanted to fix things, make them right again. But Ryoko had to let her...

COULD things ever be the same again?

As Ayeka watched, Ryoko's eyes again squeezed shut; fresh tears flowed around cracked, red skin. 'I've been bad,' she repeated.

A fresh wave of nausea washed over Ayeka, and she suddenly found herself fighting to stay awake. If she lost control here, it would very likely cost both Ayeka and Ryoko their lives.

Be calm! a voice inside her head seemed to say. It is you yourself you must concentrate on. Only you can save Ryoko. You and me.

Ayeka/Washu opened her eyes. 'No. Ayeka was wrong. She is sorry, Ryoko; so very sorry. She wants to say sorry to you.'

Ryoko looked distraught and confused. 'But... I've been a bad girl. Sasami will hate me...'

'Sasami loves you!'

'I don't want them to see me like this!!'

'Then they wont! Please Sasami - Ryoko. The others miss you; they want you to come home now.'

Ryoko frowned; she seemed to consider that word carefully. 'Home...?' 

'Yes, darling; home. Come back to us, where you belong.'

'I dun belong anywhere. I'm only a demon...'

'Don't SAY such things! You are bright and strong and loyal, Ryoko. You're loving and caring. We want you to come home to us Ryoko. You belong with us.'

'What about Ayeka?'

'Ayeka is VERY sorry about what happened. She's been crying about it and says how much she misses you.'

Ryoko looked hard at Washu. All of a sudden Sasami's face became a mask of hissing anger. 'You're LYING! YOU'RE Ayeka!'

'No I'm not, Ryoko! It's me - Washu!'

'That's just Washu's body - you have Ayeka's personality!'

'No! It's changing back naturally! But it's very dangerous for that to happen - I need to get us all back to the house and into the machine! Come back to the house and I can fix it. I can make it all better for you, Ryoko, but you MUST trust me!'

'Why should I? You were mean to me!'

'I'm not Aeyka for crying out loud! It's me, Washu!'

'I don't believe you!'

'Your mother would NEVER leave you all alone in the dark!'

'You have before!' Ryoko shivered as she fought back the cold and her own grief; it was hard to tell which has hitting her harder.

'You left me alone in the dark and the cold. I cried and cried and cried, but you never came. You just taped it and used it to blackmail me against Tenchi so you could run tests. No-one wants me around, 'cept when they want something. And when they've got it, they shoo me away or lock me up. EVERYONE leaves me alone! 

'I've spent my whole life alone - even here. All I ever wanted was to be loved and feel safe here - anywhere. But people always say I gotta be a certain way or do a certain thing... why can't I just be ME?? What is so wrong with ME?? Why can't I just be ME....?' 

Ryoko ran out of words and buried her face into the bank, crying and shivering. Ayeka - Washu? stared at her, her own thoughts echoing her daughter's. Why can't I just be me...?

She was surprised at the insight of the words. They could've applied to ANYONE in the Masaki household. That somehow made them fitting. In a gentle voice, Washu replied: 'Nothing is wrong with you, dearest Ryoko. Ayeka realises that now; she feels the same way. Please come see her; she is so upset and sorry for what she did.'

'Ayeka's an idiot! She doesn't know what she's talking about!'

Ayeka snarled in fury at Ryoko's purile self-pity. 'What does it take to get through to you?? Ryoko, you KNOW you were always intended to be more than what Kagato made you. Kagato made you what you WERE - not what you ARE.'

Ayeka stopped short, amazed at the revelation she had just spoken, aware it had only become apparent the moment she said it. 

And yet it was all true. 

Every word of it.

She sighed. Washu spoke again softly: 'It doesn't matter what you were. All that matters is what you ARE - and what you WILL BE. We can't change our pasts; only our futures. That's why we're all here - to make a future for ourselves.

'You're your own person now, Ryoko; YOU decide what you want to be. You're the product of yourself, my dearest daughter, and those who love you: your family. 

'We ALL love you, Ryoko, and we ALL miss you. Even Ayeka.' Washu's eyes began filling with tears; she desperately wanted to cradle her baby in her arms and tell her everything was going to be alright; she desperately wanted to warm her cold, cold child. She spoke with growing grief and desperation.

'Please darling; it's time to come home now.'

Ryoko looked up at her mother. Tears streaked Sasami's grimey face. Blue hair, plastered with grey mud hung limply. Round pink eyes gazed with desperate longing.

Weakly, slowly, Sasami released the muddy thicket she had been clinging to. With curious grace, Ryoko stretched her arm upwards towards Washu. The dirty hand, scratched and bleeding, opened wide as the child strained upwards.

'Mommy. Help me.' Ryoko's voice was a pleading whisper. 'Please...'


	16. Dearest Sister, Dearest Daughter

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo is the creative and distributive property of Masaki Kajishima, AIC and Pioneer. I own absolutely nothing of the franchise, and write only out of respect for one of my fave animes. Be kind - don't sue! =D  
  
Author Note: We're getting near the end of the story, believe it or not!! I've done a bit of experimenting with this chapter; given the complex nature of the resolution I didn't exactly have much choice in the matter. ^^;; I hope no-one gets confused too much - assuming you're not all too confused already!  
  
For anyone interested in offering reviews of this story, you can post your comments up at Fanfiction.net or send stuff to me at mccpcorn@hotmail.com  
  
A QUICK RECAP:  
  
Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:  
  
Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Usually called Ryoko/Sasami in the story)  
  
Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)  
  
Kiyone's stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)  
  
Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)  
  
Mihoshe is in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)  
  
Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)  
  
Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.  
  
The Story so Far: A beginning can be a difficult time. Endings even more so...  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
Chapter 15: Dearest Sister, Dearest Daughter  
=============================================  
  
Ryoko's mind was fuzzy; as she peered through the haze she got the impression she was looking through some badly scratched plastic sheeting. Everything was blurred and disjointed; nothing made any sense...  
  
Then with a maddening, deafening roar, it all came flooding back, rushing past her like a torrent of freezing water; threatening to overwhelm her...  
  
Ryoko was drowning.  
  
* * *  
  
'Mommy. Help me.' Ryoko's voice was a pleading whisper. 'Please...'  
  
Weakly, slowly, Sasami released the muddy thicket she had been clinging to. With curious grace, Ryoko stretched Sasami's right arm upwards towards Washu. The dirty hand, scratched and bleeding, opened wide as the child strained upwards.  
  
* * *  
  
Ayeka also felt disjointed. Memories were confused; overlapping. She felt as though she were tangled up in a spider's web. The harder she struggled the more entangled she became.  
  
Two minds were battling for control - and hers was losing...  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko was below her. Sasami's grimy, bloodstained hand stretched out towards her.  
  
'Mommy. Help me. Please...'  
  
A great sense of overwhelming relief suddenly flooded over Ayeka.   
  
Or was it Washu?  
  
Heedless of the tears that ran from her own eyes she reached down to her daughter. She strained towards Ryoko's upturned hand, but their fingertips barely brushed against each other.  
  
Washu almost blanched with surprise and frustration. She tried again, reaching down as far as she could.  
  
I will NOT come this close and fail!!  
  
That was Ayeka.  
  
Gods, my life is one God-awful screw-up after another! Well not THIS time!  
  
That was Washu.  
  
She leaned forward, continuing to strain towards the child. She knew she was threatening to overbalance, but she didn't care.  
  
Ryoko had suffered enough; she would not let her baby suffer anymore.  
  
* * *  
  
Please help me, Momma.   
  
I'm so cold.   
  
I feel so very cold. It's so dark...  
  
So dark and cold. Just like the cave.  
  
No. Please no. Not the cave.  
  
Not the cave again...  
  
NO! Please, oh gods NO! Not the cave! ANYTHING but the cave!!  
  
'Please Mommy,' a sobbing child sniffs. 'Please don't send me away. Everyone always sends me away. Don't send back to the cave. I don't want to be alone again. Everything's so dark and cold...'  
  
* * *  
  
Washu's teeth were gritted in an agony of determination. Her fingers dangled provocatively, just out of reach. The scientist's eyes blazed with impotent fury.  
  
Ryoko was too weak to feel much of anything anymore.  
  
Have I EVER felt so weak...?  
  
When Yosho defeated her, perhaps.  
  
When Kagato had defeated her, leaving her the humiliation of being protected by Ayeka's Guardian's. Ayeka's!!  
  
Still, they're pretty nice guys considering... Tough job, looking after HER. Ryoko's mind wandered as she lost herself further and further.  
  
'Ryoko; hold onto the bank and keep you head down.'  
  
Ryoko's eyes snapped back into focus; the haze cleared magically. Washu was above her again, and - WHAT!?  
  
She was smiling.  
  
It was very faint; just barely creasing the edges of her lips.  
  
But it was there. And it was unmistakable.  
  
Washu was smiling. A cunning, almost vicious smile.  
  
Which could only mean she had a plan.  
  
* * *  
  
As she leaned over, Ayeka felt her balance shift queasily, but she fought back the instinctive reaction to pull back to safety.   
  
Her innards lurched and the whole world titled crazily. Her vision spun and the blood rushed to her head, triggering a wave of nausea that threatened to overwhelm her with unconsciousness. Ryoko screamed and buried her face in the river bank as her mother seemed to suddenly tumble towards her.   
  
It was exactly the same thing that had happened to Ryoko: Washu had overreached herself and lost her balance. She dangled, upside down, having swung a full 180 degrees.  
  
The only difference was Ayeka had planned it this way.   
  
Using Washu's great strength, Ayeka locked her legs tightly around the overhanging root. Washu's small frame and light weight made it relatively simple for her to get her bearings. That's it; that's it...  
  
* * *  
  
'Ryoko,' Washu reached down again towards the child, 'grab my left hand.'  
  
Ryoko was both tearful AND fearful as she looked up at Washu. Her mother's face though radiated love and warmth and compassion. It was enough to soothe the child's fears and renew her trust. With her expression suddenly determined, Ryoko reached up and caught Washu's left hand in her own.   
  
* * *  
  
Washu let her hand slide down to grip Sasami by her wrist; lifting her this way would probably hurt the child some, but it would be for the last time tonight. Besides, she needed to be sure of her grip.  
  
No more pain after this, my darling... 'Get ready,' she said calmly. 'This may hurt some, but whatever you do, DON'T struggle.'  
  
'Kay...'  
  
Washu's muscles tightened painfully as she took Sasami's weight one-handed, but as before she found hidden reserves of power. The emotions fuelling them were different this time, but no less strong for that.   
  
It was time for her own personal absolution.  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko winced but did not cry out. The burning as skin rubbed against skin, as Washu's grip chafed against her wrist, was barely noticeably after being so raw with cold for so long. As Washu lifted, Sasami simply gave up her tenuous hold upon the bank. If this failed, the child knew they were both likely to be lost. Worrying about it hardly mattered anymore though; she was no longer alone.  
  
Sasami's eyes squeezed shut as the muscles in her arm stretched and the bones in her shoulder grated against each other. Ryoko was acutely aware of the soft grunts of effort from Washu as she struggled to lift her. They were both at the extreme edge of physical and mental exhaustion.  
  
But Washu would do this. Or die trying.  
  
* * *  
  
As Sasami's hand came level with Washu's head the scientist arched her back, raising it still higher and towards the overhanging roots. Sasami's eyes fluttered open as her head passed Washu's. Washu tried to be as calm as possible for the child, but there was no mistaking the gritted teeth, the trembling muscles as she strained as high as she could.  
  
Sasami's hand brushed against the greasy bark.  
  
Washu tried to pull herself up even higher; she flailed about with her free right hand, getting her own hold on the root and steadying herself. 'Grab hold,' she urged Sasami.  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko needed no urging. She could see and feel Washu's grip loosening around her wrist; the scientist's knees were quivering with exhaustion as she held her body in place.  
  
Sasami slotted the fingers of her right hand into a crevice in the rotting bark, but it merely crumbled away, leaving nothing but a green ooze on her fingers.  
  
Ryoko exchanged an alarmed glance with Washu. Her mother's legs were giving way where they were locked about the roots.  
  
No more! Please, just no more!!  
  
Sasami lashed out her free arm in anger and frustration, throwing herself almost bodily at the branch. Her momentum sent her legs swinging out beneath her. She twisted the trunk of her body, throwing her right leg up as high as she could. As she did so, Washu smashed Sasami's left hand into the root.  
  
* * *  
  
Washu couldn't hold her grip on the root. The throbbing agony of her twisted ankle dug into the bark was just too much. Even as Sasami scrabbled with her free hand against the crumbling bark, her sister's grip gave out.  
  
Once more, Ayeka's world spun drunkenly around her, but this time it followed no pattern of choice. Even as she went rapidly from horizontal to vertical she instinctively tried to lock her left arm around the root, forgetting that her left hand Sasami's. The child's hand was smashed cruelly against the bark and Washu tightened her grip, pinning it there.  
  
Washu now dangled above the flooded creek, desperately clinging onto the overhanging roots both hands.  
  
* * *  
  
Sasami screamed.  
  
'Ayeka!! SIS!!! NO!!!!!'  
  
Even as she cried out, Sasami again twisted her body. This time she was rewarded as her right boot, with her leg at almost a right angle to the rest of her body, found a crevice in the bark. The heel of her boot dug deep, finding a solid grip in fresh, healthy wood. As Washu passed by beneath her, Sasami hauled herself up, using the scientist's painfully iron grip as leverage.  
  
All of a sudden she was safe.  
  
Now it was Sasami's arms and legs were wrapped tightly around the roots, with her head pillowed against the slimy bark.  
  
'Sasami.'  
  
The child glanced down at her sister. Ayeka looked torn; her face was a mask of conflicting emotions. Peace and release; relief tinged with fear and dread.  
  
Solemnity; expectancy.  
  
Inevitability...  
  
'Sasami...' The words were a whisper. 'I love you.'  
  
Tears began streaming down Sasami's face. 'No! NO! Ayeka, NO!!'  
  
Ayeka began untangling her left hand from Sasami's.  
  
'Tell Ryoko I am sorry. For everything.'  
  
'NO! AYEKA!!!'  
  
'I wont risk you being hurt again!'  
  
* * *  
  
A memory flows through. Ayeka's back, moving serenely, gracefully. Her hair sways, in time to her hips.  
  
'AYEKA!!!!'  
  
It is planet Jurai, and Sasami is 5 years old.  
  
The child stumbles in the mass of tall flowers, looking desperate as the silhouette of her elder sister fades into the light. The shadows reach out like tendrils, smothering the last vestiges of Ayeka in gloom.  
  
'AYEKA!! NO!!!!'  
  
And Sasami is alone.  
  
Ayeka. You left me again. Why?  
  
You always do it. Why do you leave me, all alone and scared?  
  
Sasami falls to her hands and knees. The palms of her hands sting. The flowers close around her threateningly.   
  
She begins to cry.  
  
-----  
  
You left me AGAIN Ayeka!  
  
Sasami reaches back to grab Ayeka's hand. Except that Ayeka is no longer there.  
  
'AYEKA!!!!!!!!!!' Sasami bellows with all the power of Kiyone's voice. But this time Ayeka does not come.  
  
Ayeka came when I was five. But then she didn't know about Tsunami.   
  
Now I'm Kiyone as well.   
  
Will she ever come to me again?  
  
-----  
  
A young lifetime of fear; a fear of who would find out, a fear of what they would say. A fear she would be sent away. Rejected.  
  
-----  
  
You are my sister, Sasami. Nothing else matters.  
  
You are my sister, Ayeka. As much my sister as Washu.  
  
-----  
  
'Sasami!'  
  
All of a sudden, Sasami is gathered up into a warm embrace. Her sister's face is above her, warm and smiling and tearful.  
  
'I'm sorry Sasami! I didn't meant to tease you.'  
  
Sasami buries her head against her sister's breast and sobs.  
  
-----  
  
Ayeka hunts a desperate redemption.  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko snarls.   
  
'DAMMIT Ayeka! Don't be so fragging STUPID!!! Don't get all high and mighty on me now, princess! And don't you ever DARE go dying on me!!'  
  
A strange, hazy, almost-glow surrounded the child.  
  
Ryoko snarled again. NO-ONE dies today!'  
  
* * *  
  
I wont leave you sister!!  
  
Whose were those words that echoed in Ayeka's mind? Sasami's, or Tsunami's?  
  
You are as much my sister as Washu is. You have always been there for me. I will not let you be hurt because of my mistake.  
  
With a wondrous grace, a dirt stained child became a beautiful young woman.  
  
* * *  
  
Sasami screamed at the pain as she struggled with all her might against her sister. I WONT let you die! I wont, I wont, I WONT!!  
  
'I WONT!!!!'  
  
Now it was Sasami's turn to lock her legs around the root for leverage. Straining and gasping, she pulled as hard as she could on Ayeka's hand with both of hers.  
  
PLEASE don't leave me behind again Ayeka! I HATE it when you leave me all on my own!  
  
* * *  
  
All of a sudden, Washu seemed filled with fresh determination.   
  
There's no WAY I'm going to embarrass myself in front of Tsunami! Not any more than I have done already anyways...  
  
With new strength, Washu swung her legs back and forth beneath her. By the fifth motion, she threw her legs back up again, once more locking them around the trunk of the overhang.  
  
* * *  
  
Sasami coughed back the tears as she hauled Ayeka up. Clearly aching all over, Ayeka, Crown Princess of Jurai, slowly pulled herself up into a sitting position. She stared at Sasami, feeling nothing but numbness for a moment.  
  
Then it happened. A final, terrible, desperate release.  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoko looked at Washu with a mixture of exhaustion, anger and relief. She couldn't bear to look at her mother, torn and naked, but she couldn't bear to look away.  
  
So instead she reached out to her, and closed her eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
Somewhere in the forest, a little sister crumpled into the arms of her sibling. A sobbing child, finally able to hold onto someone.  
  
Somewhere else, a daughter finally reached out to her mother, and was accepted for what she was. She too, began to cry.  
  
* * *  
  
'Mommy.... Oh, Mommy...' she coughed the words out, barely able to speak around her sobs. Then she just began crying again.  
  
'It's all right. Shhh... hush now, precious. Mommy loves you...' Her eyes squeezed tightly shut, feeling the release of hours of tension and fear and adrenaline melt away into a mess of tangled feelings. She shivered violently with the cold, only now aware of how the elements attacked her semi-naked body.  
  
* * *  
  
'Ayeka... please dun leave me anymore... I got so scared...'  
  
'I'm sorry baby... I'm so so sorry... I wont leave you again. I swear no-one will ever harm you again. You're mine, dearest. I'll NEVER leave you...'  
  
* * *  
  
'Ayeka was so mean to me...' Ryoko sniffed loudly, then coughed. She swiped at her eyes roughly, angrily.  
  
'Easy now... you've been hurt enough one day. Ayeka's sorry; I mean that. She hates herself.'  
  
'No! She shouldn't... I deserved it, I think...'  
  
'No-one deserves to suffer child. Not you; not Ayeka. Not anyone.'  
  
'Please then - make sure she's okay.' Another sniff. 'Damn. I really need to talk to her...'  
  
'Shhh now. Enough. Rest darling.'  
  
* * *  
  
All of a sudden the whole area lit up in an eerie red glow. Up above the sky was eclipsed by a dark, ominous form.  
  
'MIYYAAAAA!!!!'  
  
Sasami smiled, and Ryoko's mouth broke into a cracked grin.  
  
'Ryo-Ohki...'  
  
Her eyes closed. Even as Ryo-Ohki brought them aboard she fell asleep.  
  
* * *  
  
And then, as the rushing torrent of memories flooded past. Ryoko opened Ryoko's eyes.   
  
And she knew that it was over.  
  
-----  
  
END OF CHAPTER 15 


	17. What Happened Later

Disclaimer: This is an original story based on characters and situations created by Masaki Kajishima, and owned by Masaki Kajishima, AIC and Pioneer. I don't own ANY of it!!!!  
  
For anyone interested in offering reviews of this story, you can post your comments up at Fanfiction.net or send stuff to me at mccpcorn@hotmail.com  
  
The Story so Far: Ryoko is back in her own body at last, but what about the others?  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER 16: WHAT HAPPENED LATER  
===============================  
  
'Where am I?'  
  
The first thing Ryoko noticed was that it was her own voice.  
  
Experimentally, she tried raising her right arm. She found it was covered in a blanket, as indeed her whole body was. She was about to pull it free when a gently restraining hand was placed upon her right shoulder.  
  
'Easy now. You're in Ayeka's room, in Ayeka's bed,' a familiar voice replied. 'You've been here for five days.'  
  
Ryoko blanched as well as she could. 'Five DAYS??'  
  
'Yes.' Washu's features materialised above Ryoko's face. 'You needed extensive reconstruction to your neural pathways. Had to make sure all the aspects of your mind fitted back into their proper niches. Wasn't difficult, but it takes time. Easier to do with you asleep.'  
  
No wonder she felt sluggish. Ryoko felt the covers drawn back slightly, and this time Washu let her move her arm. And as she held it out in front of her face, Ryoko saw it WAS her arm.  
  
Which meant that - 'Washu?'  
  
'Yes. We're all safe now.'  
  
For a moment there was silence. Then Ryoko let out a ragged sigh. She closed her eyes. 'I'd hoped it was just a bad dream.'  
  
Washu shrugged, not that Ryoko saw it. 'Well things were cut pretty close. But at the end of the day we made it.'  
  
And yet, even as she spoke those words, Washu knew she would never tell Ryoko just HOW close it had been...  
  
* * *  
  
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link; and Ryoko was about as weak as she had ever been....  
  
-----  
  
Sasami had become linked to Ryoko, who was in turn linked to Mihoshe. Mihoshe had become tangled up in Ryoko's strong feelings for Tenchi, with Kiyone suffering a similar fate in Tenchi's body - with the added factor of being Mihoshe's closest friend.   
  
As Washu's daughter, Ryoko was also linked to the scientist. But with Washu in Ayeka's body, Ryoko had also become tied to Sasami's big sister, her own great rival.  
  
It had been a classic domino set-up. And when Ryoko began to lose it, the whole Masaki family had begun to unravel.  
  
Yet somehow, Ryoko had stabilised, going far beyond the theoretical break-up point Washu had calculated.   
  
Perhaps being trapped and helpless had insulated her; her mind not needed for the moment, it had merely shut down to preserve itself. Or perhaps Ayeka's arrival had given Ryoko something to focus on, the distraction she'd needed to remind herself of who and what she was.  
  
Perhaps. For the most part Washu suspected Tsunami, but would long keep that suspicion to herself.  
  
* * *  
  
It takes only a second to make a mistake; fixing one can take months, or even years....  
  
-----  
  
Even with Ayeka and Ryoko both alive and intact, the outcome had been far from certain. Repairing the damage was always going to involve more than simply swapping everyone's personalities back into their own bodies.   
  
As Tenchi rushed back to the house with Ryoko and Ayeka, Washu was forced to bypass the safety protocols on the Personality Transference Transceiver. It left almost no margin for error in her hurried calculations, but at this stage in the game unacceptable risks became necessities.  
  
Getting everyone back in their own body had been only the start; Washu soon found that everyone had needed some level of reintegration between mind and body. It was like trying on a some clothes that you know SHOULD fit, but for some reason snag here or there. Everyone found themselves suffering disorientation, and their senses had all needed careful realignment.   
  
Sasami had been worst, at least for physical damage. She'd been in bed two whole days having her wounds scrubbed and bound. Kiyone had cooked in her absence, but had needed help every inch of the way because her equilibrium was totally screwed. Washu had not escaped either, and had needed treatment for cuts, bruises, a severely sprained ankle, as well as mild exposure.  
  
To everyone's surprise, Tenchi and Mihoshe had come out almost unscathed. Even now they busied themselves about the house, looking after everyone with cheerful, uncomplaining demeanour. It was probably just the relief of being back in their own bodies, but on the other hand they'd stuck pretty close by each other.  
  
Yet the two of them seemed more sombre, or perhaps deeper would be a better word. They seemed to have gained a wisdom, a special understanding of those around them, and each other. Mihoshe's perception of others seemed especially canny.  
  
With only mild cajoling, Tenchi had managed to persuade Grandpa that seeing as he was having such a great time away from the shrine that perhaps he should stop off the hot-springs on the way back, make a real break out of it. Whether Kashuhito would buy into the lie was one thing, but it had at least bought them the time needed to fix the worst of the damage.  
  
But there was much that simply couldn't be fixed. Problems that could be dealt with only through time and learning.  
  
Ayeka had kept almost to herself; at first she'd had difficulty even going to see Sasami. But the Crown Princess had persevered, and now nursed her sister in the living room. However, she still had a tendency to spend much time alone, usually near the lake by Funaho.  
  
And then there was Ryoko...  
  
* * *  
  
Washu's eyes focused on her daughter.  
  
Yes. That was who it was. Her daughter. How odd that she never truly felt that kind of empathy with her before. 'How are you feeling?' Washu asked Ryoko has she helped the pirate straighten up in bed.  
  
Surprisingly, Ryoko accepted the scientist's help without comment. She must've been more tired than Washu had thought.  
  
'Fine, I guess,' Ryoko mused around a yawn. 'Still a little tired. Kinda groggy too.'  
  
'That's normal. You'll get over it.'  
  
'Normal? How do you guess what's normal dealing with a situation you've never encountered before?'  
  
There was an edge of challenge in Ryoko's words that almost made Washu smile. Yup, she thought to herself. Definitely back to normal.  
  
'Twenty thousand years of experience is how I guess normal,' she told her daughter tartly. 'And you're FAR from being the first person I had to perform basic sub-neural brain surgery on.'  
  
'Okay, okay...' Ryoko growled, clearly in no condition to argue the point. 'I was only asking.'  
  
Washu stood. 'There's some fresh clothes on the dresser, and a pitcher of water. You may want to use the bathroom to freshen up, too. Depending on how you feel later, you may want to join us downstairs for dinner.' Washu headed for the door.  
  
A sudden, stray memory clicked in Ryoko's brain; something she'd wanted to do.... 'Mom?'  
  
Washu almost faltered in her step; the casual utterance of the word seemed to indicate a total acceptance of who Washu was to her. It was a kind of normalcy that she had never heard Ryoko use before, one that touched her far more deeply than she could ever have imagined. In as unflustered a manner as possibly, Washu casually turned. 'Yes?'  
  
'You said, dinner, right?'  
  
'Yes. Yes I did.'  
  
Ryoko rolled clear of her blankets and sat up on the bed, dressed in a long, flowing nightie. Her eyes grew emotional. 'Mom... I'm sorry.'  
  
Washu swallowed as a lump formed in her throat. 'That's okay, sweetheart,' she replied. 'We all make mistakes.'  
  
Ryoko sniffed, looking for all the world as though she was about to burst into tears. She held her arms limply out at her sides.  
  
An almost-memory surfaced in Washu; the desire to hold her baby close in her arms and keep her safe...  
  
'Shh, Ryoko. It's okay baby, it's okay, REALLY,' Washu said, hurrying back over. 'You're safe now. Mommy's here.'  
  
Ryoko squeezed her eyes shut, lowered her head a moment. Ryoko looked up into Washu's taught, emotional face as her mother placed her hands on her shoulders. 'See?' Washu said, smiling.  
  
'Mom...?'  
  
'What is it, sweetie?'  
  
Ryoko hesitated. 'I really... I need to ask you something...'  
  
Washu smiled again. 'What's that, baby?'  
  
* * *  
  
Tenchi was just nearing the top of the stairs when he heard it: a dull thud, with a kind of hollow sounding crack. There was a high-pitched shriek, followed by what sounded like a stumbling scuffle.  
  
His heart racing, Tenchi leapt the last few steps to the landing. Aw HELL! he thought in alarm, What's happened NOW?? Has Ryoko suffered a relapse or something? What's going on!?  
  
He thundered down the hall, just in time to see the sliding door to Ayeka's room get literally torn off its runner, splintering the door-frame into fragments. Tenchi was almost knocked aside by the wildly stumbling figure that emerged from the room with blind haste. 'WASHU!?'  
  
From inside the room, Tenchi heard Ryoko bellowing: 'THAT'S for causing everybody so much trouble!! DAMN you, Washu! You and your DAMN samples!!'  
  
The little scientist staggered into Tenchi's arms just in time. As they both cleared the doorway a water jug went whistling past Tenchi's head, shattering against the far wall as Ryoko continued hollered: 'AND GIMMIE SOME PROPER TASTE BUDS!!!!!!'  
  
Tenchi blanched in surprise, then down at the woman in his arms. His eyes saucered as he saw Washu, her hands covering her face. 'Washu?? What IS it!?'  
  
Washu raised her head; her hands parted slightly to reveal a very bloody nose.  
  
'DUH!' She explained with watering eyes. 'I think Ryuko bruke by dose!!'  
  
-----  
  
END OF CHAPTER 16 


	18. End of Story?

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo isn't mine. It belongs to Masaki Kajishima, AIC and Pioneer. This is just a humble fanfic written out of respect for a wonderful show. I hope they enjoy it as much as you do - so much so that they don't sue me. ^^;;  
  
Want to review? Post your comments up at Fanfiction.net or send stuff to me at mccpcorn@hotmail.com   
  
Opinions are ALWAYS welcome!  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
CHAPTER 17: END OF STORY?  
=========================  
  
'Are you SURE everything's been alright over there Tenchi?' Kashuhito's somewhat incredulous voice sounded over the telephone.  
  
'Yes, Grandpa,' Tenchi assured the older man, trying to ignore the beading sweat on his own forehead. 'Everything's been just fine.'  
  
There was a long LONG pause on the other end of the line; Tenchi was about to ask what time his father and grandpa would be getting home when Kashuito answered: 'Well... in that case your father and I will be setting off this evening; we'll be home sometime tomorrow afternoon. I expect everything to be in good order when I get back, mind! I'm sure you and the girls wouldn't DREAM of neglecting your chores while we were away.'  
  
'No Grandpa.' Tenchi sweatdropped.  
  
'And the shrine best be in top condition when I return as well!' Kashuhito persisted.  
  
'It will be, Grandpa,' Tenchi assured him, making a mental note to ask Washu to repair the immense damage to the inside of the cave before Yosho got home. 'I'll let you get back to your packing. BYE!' Tenchi hastily put the phone down before his Grandpa could pin him down again.  
  
A quiet, light chuckle from behind him made Tenchi turn. 'Ayeka?'  
  
The Jurian attempted to stifle her obvious mirth. 'I take it the interroragtion is over?' she enquired innocently.  
  
Tenchi sagged a little. 'He knows,' he said in a sour voice.  
  
'He suspects,' Ayeka corrected. 'That is not the same thing. As long as all is in order when my brother returns, he will respect the... privacy of the event, and not question us.'  
  
'Yeah well just once I'd like to have a PROPER break,' Tenchi groused. 'Why is it I always feel under the hammer, even when Grandpa ISN'T around?'  
  
Ayeka almost smiled. 'My brother has alway been highly perceptive; it goes with his heritage, his upbringing, and his training.'  
  
'Tell me about it,' Tenchi griped. 'As if we don't have ENOUGH stuff to sort out as it is.'  
  
'Well it WAS only for a day,' Ayeka reminded him. 'The material damage was cosmetic and minimal; most of it has already been fixed. The... emotional side will take longer.'  
  
'Yeah,' Tenchi replied absently, feeling the aura in the hall shift subtlely. Certain events that had taken place almost a week ago were still a touchy subject where Ayeka was concerned. 'Well I guess I'm going to find the others. Where are you headed?'  
  
'I'm going to check on - Ryoko.' Ayeka almost stumbled over the name.  
  
Tenchi gave the Crown Princess a warm "It'll be okay" kind of smile. 'Well I'll let you go then.'  
  
'Yes. Thank you.' Ayeka bowed her head briefly before heading up the stairs.  
  
Tenchi followed the princess' flowing form up the stairs, then turned and entered the living room. He realised how difficult the situation was for Ayeka, but even if he'd offered support the Jurian's own sense of personal honour would insist she deal with certain aspects alone.  
  
What a crazy world we live in, he told himself wryly. Emphasis strongly on the WE bit...  
  
As he passed into the living room, Tenchi heard voices coming from the kitchen: 'Here Kiyone.'  
  
Tenchi glanced through the open serving hatch just long enough to glimpse a bandaged Sasami pass a collection of herbs to Kiyone. As he watched, the youngster stood next to the GP Officer as Kiyone took hold of the knife.  
  
'It's easier to cut them length wise first,' Sasami explained. 'it helps to release the flavour more.'  
  
'And after that I dice them, right?'  
  
'Yep!' Sasami looked up at Kiyone and smiled. The First Class Detective responded in kind which led to Sasami giggling prettily. 'This is so much fun!' Sasami all but squealed. 'I never had such a good student before!'  
  
Kiyone almost seemed to blush. 'Well you can't be expected to do ALL the work around here.'  
  
Tenchi smiled and turned away to the patio doors. Yes, he decided. Things are gradually coming back to normal.  
  
And with luck, they might even turn out a little BETTER than what passed for normal in the Masaki household.  
  
* * *  
  
Ayeka met Washu at the top of the landing. 'Washu,' she nodded in greeting. 'Is that Ryoko's lunch?'  
  
'What's left of it,' Washu shrugged as she nodded at the empty bowls nestled on the tray she was carrying. 'You're going to see her, right?'  
  
'Yes. Do - do you think she will be... amenable?' Aeyka asked hesitantly.  
  
Washu shrugged again. 'She's quiet enough now. I wouldn't worry if I were you; I think busting my nose was enough for her.' Washu went momentarily crossed-eyed as she tried to look at her bandaged nose.  
  
'That wasn't the reason I asked,' Ayeka replied, a little huffily. 'I just don't want to disturb her if she would prefer to be alone.'  
  
'As you've preferred being this past week?' Washu replied pointedly.   
  
Ayeka flushed. The scientist shook her head and sighed. 'Look, Ayeka, I guess I'll never stop apologising for what happened and the situation I put everyone in. I fully admit that being a genius doesn't make me perfect. I've made LOTS of mistakes in my time; a lot more than you have - or even Ryoko. But each and every time I've just had to pick myself up, dust myself down, and move on with my life. It's never been easy, but at the end of the day nothing   
worthwhile ever is.'  
  
'What do you mean?'  
  
'I mean that change and learning sometimes involves pain,' Washu explained. 'New challenges can be scary, but without them we can never hope to move beyond ourselves.'  
  
'But where is the line drawn?' Ayeka answered in a quiet, frustrated voice. 'How many sacrifices does a person have to make in the name of discovery? When does the gain of what you may learn outweigh the risk?'  
  
Washu knew what Ayeka was hinting at. The Crown Princess had been quietly tormenting herself over her actions for fully five days now. The accident had opened a rather nasty can of worms for Ayeka, and the princess hadn't liked what she'd learned about herself one bit.  
  
'This isn't just some mindless scientist mantra, Aeyka,' Washu responded. 'It's REAL. Ordinary people out there have to face up to it everyday. And the more powerful we become, the harder it is to be challenged, which means the harder it becomes to learn stuff.'  
  
'Which is why you made such a dreadful mistake?'  
  
'Perhaps,' Washu allowed. 'But I'm not the only one.'  
  
For a moment, Ayeka looked ready to argue. Instead, though, she merely dropped her gaze to the floor. 'Ayeka,' Washu said softly. 'What you learned about yourself, well you didn't like it. But that was the person that you WERE, not the person that you ARE. The cause of what made you do what you did - your pain - has been released now. And you've learned that simply locking your feelings up isn't going to solve your problems. It's a GOOD thing to face up to those feelings, but at the same time don't torture yourself with them. Don't let them take you prisoner.   
  
'What you're about to face in that room ISN'T the challenge you think it is. You've already faced that challenge - and you passed it.'  
  
Ayeka looked up with a pained expression. 'Then what challenge AM I facing in there?' she asked in a pleading whisper.  
  
Washu returned the gaze levelly. 'The future.'  
  
'The future?'  
  
'Yes,' Washu smiled. 'The future you; the future Ryoko. The future of everyone here. It's all in that room. It wont be the first challenge you've faced, Ayeka, and it wont be the last. But you WONT face it alone; that I promise you. How's Sasami?'  
  
Ayeka was taken slightly aback by the sudden change in topic. 'She's still a little sore,' she replied. 'But nothing the first aid kit couldn't handle. She's in the kitchen now, making supper.'  
  
'I thought Kiyone was cooking tonight?' Washu asked. She herself had made Ryoko's supper.  
  
'She is, but Sasami is with her. Sasami's decided to take on a student in case she's away or can't cook for us.'  
  
Washu smiled. 'Sounds like her.'  
  
Ayeka smiled shyly in return. 'Yes.' She moved past Washu. 'I appreciate your words, Washu, but now I think I had better get this over with.'  
  
'Ayeka?'  
  
Ayeka turned to Washu. 'Yes?'  
  
Washu didn't turn to face her; she just stared straight ahead at the spot where she'd been. 'I want to thank you, Ayeka, for what you did. It couldn't have been easy setting your feelings for Ryoko aside like that, especially under the circumstances. None of us were exactly ourselves, and I know you were suffering more than most.'  
  
'I did what was necessary for my sister,' Ayeka sniffed haughtily for a moment, then cast her eyes down. 'I feel great shame at my actions, Washu. I did no more than try to atone for them; I still feel I have not.'  
  
'Up to and including lying to Ryoko?'  
  
Ayeka stiffened. 'You KNEW?'  
  
The Jurian fancied that she could almost hear Washu's smile. 'I was already part-way back to my own body by that time,' she replied. 'I must say it was an interesting tactic, pretending to be me to persuade Ryoko to take your hand.'  
  
Ayeka felt the blood rush to her face. 'I - I had to do SOMETHING,' she explained desperately. 'The way Ryoko was reacting; well I didn't think she'd come with me any other way.'  
  
'Ryoko in many ways has the mind of a child,' Washu reminded her, still not turning. 'And she was in the body of a child; like I said, the lines were blurred. Whether or not she truly believed you WERE you - or whether it was you pretending to be me - is irrelevant. She WANTED to believe, which is how most children try to shut out danger and comfort themselves. All she needed to pretend it was me was an excuse. You gave her that excuse.'  
  
For a second, Ayeka thought she could feel a charge of emotion. 'I'm really rather envious,' Washu continued in a neutral voice that was clearly holding far too much back. 'You saw the real Ryoko, Ayeka. The Ryoko without the bravado and the bluster; the bad manners and the anger and the confusion. You saw her as she truly is: a little girl trying hard to act grown up. I've seen it all too rarely myself; what I would have given to be there to see it then.'  
  
With an effort, Washu's shoulders dragged themselves out of their slump. Without looking back, she started down the stairs. 'I've kept you too long,' she said. 'But there's no need to hurry; I'll tell Sasami to keep something warm for you.'  
  
* * *  
  
'Door's open, Ayeka.'  
  
Ryoko didn't look round as the door slid open, then slid shut again. She continued to lie on the bed, dressed in nothing but the white nightie Washu had given her. A light blanket was wrapped tightly about her body. Ryoko continued to simply stare out the window, watching the motes of dust dance in the beams of sunlight, slowly sliding across the floor towards late afternoon.  
  
There was a slight creak in the bed, and the mattress shifted slightly as Ayeka sat down. 'Hello, Ryoko.'  
  
'Hi.' Total neutrality.  
  
'I passed Washu on the stairs.'  
  
'Yeah. She brought me lunch. Good of her, really.'  
  
'It was kind of her to make the effort.' Ayeka's voice sounded thick in her own ears. She didn't know where to look, and the bland pleasentries were taking their toll.  
  
She decided it would be best to be direct. 'Ryoko - I've come to -'  
  
'Apologise? Don't bother.' This statement was accompanied by a slight shake of Ryoko's head.  
  
Ayeka felt brittle. 'Ryoko-'  
  
'No - please, it's alright.' Ryoko's voice was soft and tired sounding. 'Don't misunderstand me; I'm not angry with you, Ayeka. You have no reason to apologise.'  
  
THAT shook Ayeka. It was a full two seconds before she could find her voice. 'Ryoko, I must. I - did such a bad thing. I - I...'  
  
It was all starting to hit the princess, the enourmity of what she'd done. Washu had been right; burying her feelings away had accomplished nothing, and would continue to accomplish nothing. If she held them back they would simply fester and await their chance: Ayeka's next moment of weakness.  
  
She couldn't hold it back anymore; the images, the guilt, the shame. The tears began to well up in her eyes and she buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders sagged and she slumped forward a little.  
  
'I'm sorry Ryoko. I'm so very sorry. I was wrong; I didn't mean it. It wasn't me, as all Jurai is my witness, it just wasn't me. The person who did that - I can't explain it - it just wasn't me...'  
  
'Then why apologise?' came the soft, matter-of-fact voice.  
  
Ayeka paused in her grief, looked up to see Ryoko's green eyes regarding the Jurian from over her shoulder. 'What?' Ayeka asked.  
  
'Why apologise for the acts of another?' Ryoko elaborated. 'Someone who's gone and isn't coming back?'  
  
'Ryoko - please. This isn't just some petty self-indulgence...'  
  
'Hey, hey. I know that. I've been there too, y'know?'  
  
'I... don't understand...?'  
  
Ryoko sighed. 'Ayeka, you were angry with a person who died 700 years ago. She didn't care; I do. I've inherited her legacy, and I'm going to have to live with the guilt of what she did forever. Including what happened to Sasami.'  
  
'You're saying... it's the same for me?'  
  
'Yes.' Ryoko's voice was warm and oddly mature. A far cry from the taunting, petulant child Ayeka knew she could be. 'You'll never forget your grief and sorrow, but it can only control your life if you let it. Don't give the past too much power over the present - or the future.'  
  
It suddenly occurred to Ayeka that perhaps THAT was the reason that Ryoko was always so annoyingly playful and flirtateous; desperately exploring a whole range of feelings that she'd never known before. Moving far beyond the hatred and greed instilled in her by Kagato, Ryoko played things outrageously wild because it was about as far away from THAT Ryoko as anything could possibly be.  
  
Perhaps it was time for her to do the same...?  
  
And in that moment, perhaps she understood Ryoko. And perhaps Ryoko understood her.  
  
'I've forgiven you Ryoko; and you have forgiven me. Now we must both forgive ourselves. Yes?' Is that what you're trying to tell me?  
  
Ryoko sighed again and smiled, turned back to face the window. 'You held it all back for so long. You were angry with what I was, not with what I am.' Yes.  
  
Ayeka's expression brightened noticeably; she almost smiled. She nodded and moved to rise, but Ryoko's hand moved swiftly around to grasp Ayeka's wrist. The space pirate's head turned slightly. 'Ayeka.'  
  
'Yes?' Ayeka's expression turned quizzical.  
  
'It was easier for you to let out all the pain and suffering you'd felt when it wasn't the face of the one you hated. You couldn't attribute the actions of me now to the actions of me then, and it held you back from really striking out at me. Once the physical form was removed, you had the chance to let it all out.'  
  
'Don't... don't, Ryoko, please...'  
  
'No, Ayeka; it's my turn to apologise now.' Ryoko looked up at Ayeka with a cavalier, yet sombre smile. 'Please... don't blame yourself for what happened; it wasn't your fault. If our situations were reversed - if I'd dominion over you - who's to say I wouldn't be where you are now? NONE of us were acting right. You weren't just looking at your kid sister; you were Washu looking at a misbehaving daughter.'  
  
Ayeka felt uncomfortable at the mention of Sasami; those images rose again in her mind... 'What a FUCKING mess...' she whispered under her breath.  
  
Ryoko's ears twitched slightly and her eyes went wide as she momentarily riveted Ayeka wiith a surprised stare. 'Princess,' she breathed, mock-incredulously. 'Did I just hear you use the "F" word?'  
  
Ayeka blushed, then giggled. 'Sasami loves you, and I know that you love her. I know you would give your life in a second to save hers. I can never thank you enough for that. Wherever I go, my sister will be safe with you.'  
  
Ryoko smiled dreamily as her eyes drifted closed. 'I know.'  
  
And all of a sudden, that was it. With a few brief words to one another, Ayeka knew the storm had passed. Perhaps now they could finally build a future... together.  
  
'Ryoko, I have a proposal I'd like to put to you.'  
  
There was no response from the pirate. Looking down at her, Ayeka saw that Ryoko had fallen asleep. Although not physically damaged, she'd suffered a great deal of emotional trauma, and it had clearly taken a lot out of her.  
  
Ayeka smiled at the peaceful, contented expression upon Ryoko's face. Yes, she had a proposal for the pirate, but it could wait. As long as necessary.  
  
Removing her shoes, Ayeka climbed onto the bed. Gently, hesitantly, she moved her right arm around Ryoko's waist and took her right hand in her's. Spooning herself against Ryoko's back, Ayeka closed her eyes soaking up the warmth from Ryoko's body. Ryoko's soft, steady breathing told her that the space pirate was indeed asleep. Presently, Ayeka too drifted asleep.  
  
And her dreams were peaceful ones.  
  
-----  
  
END OF CHAPTER 17 


	19. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo is the creative and distributive property of Masaki Kajishima, AIC and Pioneer. This is my story, but I own absolutely nothing of the franchise. If anyone connected to the above reads this, HIRE DON'T SUE!!!  
  
Author Note: Well here we are folks - the LAST chapter! I hope you've all enjoyed yourselves. If you have any comments you'd like to make, you can send them via Fanfiction.net as usual, or drop me a line at mccpcorn@hotmail.com  
  
On with the show!  
  
Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces  
---------------------------  
  
By Mccpcorn  
  
EPILOGUE  
========  
  
The first thing Tenchi noticed when he opened the door to Washu's lab was the music.  
  
At first he couldn't understand why he felt so surprised. Then he realised this was the first time he had heard anything other than quiet, insistant hum of efficient machinery in Washu's lab. It was a light, melodious piece by piano.  
  
It was Washu.  
  
She sat at the head of a full grand piano, almost dwarfed by its immense size. Yet she clearly had no difficulty mastering its music. Her fingers danced lightly, confidently over the keys. Her eyes mere slits as she allowed her ears to do the work, Washu's head rocked slightly from side to side as she absorbed the beautiful notes. The sound was weighted perfectly; rich, almost golden. The most incredible sound Tenchi had ever heard.  
  
All of a sudden, the piece stuttered to an ungraceful stop. Washu's eyes snapped open as if awakening from a dream, suddenly aware that she wasn't alone. As she caught sight of Tenchi watching her, she went bright red. 'Don't Stop!' Tenchi urged.  
  
Washu beamed and her face coloured further with embarassment. 'It's okay, I was just passing the time'  
  
'I'm sorry I disturbed you,' Tenchi said, and meant it. 'I've never heard anything quite like that, Washu. It was beautiful. I had no idea you could play.'  
  
Washu giggled. 'Well, I learned a LONG time ago, Tenchi. Been awhile since I played though. I'm still a little rusty, but after the past week I figured it was a good way to clear my head.'  
  
'Well if THAT'S rusty, you've no complaints coming,' Tenchi assured her. 'You should pipe that through to the rest of the house; it would go a long way to calming everyone down.' Tenchi looked over Washu's shoulder at the piano. 'There can't be many people with so many varying talents as you; I guess you really ARE a genius. I mean, I didn't even know you HAD a piano.'  
  
Washu giggled even more; her eyes shone with Tenchi's compliment. 'My computer can replicate virtually ANYTHING with the correct parameters. Of course, an electronic synth producer can do the job just as well, but sometimes ya just need a little soul.' Washu sighed contentedly.  
  
Tenchi nodded his agreement. 'Yeah. So - Um... how's the nose?'  
  
Washu laughed again, gingerly touching her bandaged nose. 'Nothing the first aid kit couldn't handle,' she assured him. 'And I suppose I DID have it coming.'  
  
'I hope that means you have no more unexpected surprises for me?'  
  
Washu grinned and shook her head. 'Not this time. None at all!' She laughed again at Tenchi's relieved expression. 'And I guess YOU'RE here to let me know dinner's ready, right?'  
  
Tenchi nodded. 'Yeah. And seeing how this is Sasami's first full meal in awhile we ought not to be late.' His eyes fell on the Personality Transference Transceiver. 'You'll be glad to get this thing dismantled.'  
  
Washu nodded agreement. 'As soon as Ayeka and Ryoko finish their plan, yes.'  
  
'The idea the girls' came up with is crazy,' Tenchi said flatly, but with an air of resignation.  
  
'Come on!' Washu said playfully. 'They've learned a lot about each other this past week, and they're going to learn a lot more. I take it as a good sign - might mean they stop tearing into each other.'  
  
'And the house,' Tenchi griped.   
  
'Ah, come on, ya killjoy!' Washu's eyes sparkled.  
  
Tenchi gave her a lopsided grin. 'Okay, okay. I surrender.'  
  
Together they headed for the door.  
  
* * *  
  
Lunch was over. It was largely agreed by everyone in the house that it had been one of the best meals they could remember in a long time. The plates and bowls had been duly washed and put away, and Sasami had shooed everyone out so she could prepare dessert.  
  
Kiyone sighed and looked up at the warm sun of a fading summer. It's beautiful, isn't it?' she asked her partner.  
  
Behind her, Mihoshe let out an equally contented sigh. 'Yes.'  
  
Kiyone lay on the ground at the foot of the steps to the Masaki household's patio doors. Mihoshe sat on the step above her, her legs either side of Kiyone's shoulders, her arms draped loosely around Kiyone's neck. Between her knees, a sake bottle nestled securely.  
  
Mihoshe didn't react as she heard the patio door slide open behind her. She simply continued to look into a deep blue, late summer sky, feeling the warmth on her skin as she once again thanked whoever ran things for another wonderful day.  
  
Tenchi sat on the step directly above and behind Mihoshe, placing his legs either side of hers and gently wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Mihoshe turned to him and smiled. Tenchi grinned back and nodded towards the sake bottle. 'Are you going to drink ALL of that before we make a start on dessert?' he teased playfully.  
  
Mihoshe giggled. 'I've only had one bowl,' she responded, mock serious. 'This is good weather for sake, but not TOO much.'  
  
'I agree,' Kiyone chimed in, turning a dazzling smile towards Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi sighed and rested his chin on Mihoshe's right shoulder. 'Y'know, after everything we've been through...'  
  
'I know,' Mihoshe chuckled ruefully. 'We never seem to get a break, do we? But we have to be positive, Tenchi. We learned a lot about each other this past week.'  
  
'You and me?'  
  
'And everyone else in between,' Kiyone broke in with a pointed smile.   
  
Mihoshe giggled again at that, and Tenchi made a mental note to find out just what this private joke was that they'd been sharing with each other lately.  
  
Mihoshe gently pulled away from Tenchi's light embrace and stood, stooping to grab the sake bottle. 'I guess it's time for - Waaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!' Mihoshe wailed as she tripped on the top step, fortunatley landing straight into the now standing Tenchi's arms. 'Mmph!!' he exclaimed as he got a facefull of blonde hair.  
  
With obvious embarrassment, Mihoshe quickly pulled away from Tenchi, so fast that she did one of her now famous back trips over a squealing Kiyone's shoulders to land them both in an undignified heap.   
  
'Damn it, MI-HO-SHE!!' Kiyone hissed.  
  
'Owwww.....' Mihoshe whined.  
  
Tenchi burst out laughing and reached down to help both women up. 'Are you two alright?' he asked Mihoshe, holding her steadily by her shoulders.  
  
Mihoshe could feel his warm hands on the bare skin of her upper arms as she straightened herself out. She felt like smiling, but decided the situation was awkward enough. 'Tell ANYONE about that and I wont speak to you for a week,' she warned.  
  
'Ditto,' Kiyone growled, throwing her partner an unfriendly look before shaking her head. 'Mihoshe Kuramitsu, you are HOPELESS!'  
  
Tenchi laughed again. 'Well don't worry, I wont tell - promise. I like living too much.'  
  
'Good,' now Mihoshe smiled again as she took the extended arm Tenchi offered her. 'I guess it's time for dessert.'  
  
'Glad to her it,' Kiyone said, taking Tenchi's other arm.  
  
* * *  
  
At that moment, there was a tremendous crash. 'WHAT the-!?' Tenchi exclaimed.  
  
'Sounded like it came from the other side of the house,' Kiyone snapped. Disentangling herself from Tenchi, she sprinted powerfully away.   
  
'Dammit, what's going on NOW??' Tenchi demanded as he and Mihoshe followed Kiyone around the side of the house.  
  
'I don't know,' Kiyone called back as she angled athletically around the corner of the house. 'But I have a bad feeling about it-'  
  
The words were barely out of her mouth when the side of the house seemed to blow up.   
  
Coughing and spluttering, the three friends found themselves peering through a thick haze of smoke and debris. A gaping hole in the side of the house was visible, and from within a pair of raised voices bellowed at each other.  
  
Female voices. Familar voices.  
  
Tenchi sighed pathetically. I knew it! I just KNEW it!!  
  
As they watched, a cyan-haired woman tumbled through the hole, closely followed by violet haired princess.   
  
'DAMN you, Ayeka!' the princess hissed. 'How did I EVER let you talk me into this!?'  
  
'Why did I even BOTHER trying to redeem you!' Ryoko snapped back. 'HONESTLY!! And in my OWN bedroom too!!'  
  
Ayeka smirked. 'I'm only human, princess.'  
  
'NOT in THAT body you're not! Keep your smut to yourself!'  
  
Ayeka was about to make a forceful retort when she suddenly spotted Tenchi. Her eyes shone madly, and she stumbled quickly through the ruined wall. 'TENCHIIIIII!!!!!!'  
  
Ryoko's eyes went wide in alarm. 'Oh no you DON'T!!' she exclaimed as she grabbed hold of Ayeka's hair. With a sudden, choked off 'GLURK!' Ayeka almost fell flat on her face.  
  
'You can't FLY in that body, remember Ryoko?' Ayeka/Ryoko smiled evily.  
  
'Nice, move, princess,' Ryoko/Ayeka winced. 'Hafta remember that one.'  
  
Ayeka/Ryoko gave Ryoko/Ayeka's hair another good yank. 'Back, Demon!' she ordered.  
  
'DEMON!?' Ryoko snarled viciously. 'Why you FUCKING cow! You promised you wouldn't call me that anymore!'  
  
Ayeka went beet red. 'And YOU promised you wouldn't use that word in my body!' she hollered back.  
  
'You SEE what she's like, Tenchi?' Ryoko demanded, sliding over to the flabagastered young man. 'You SEE what I have to put up with??' Ryoko threw Ayeka a smug look as she wrapped her arms tightly around Tenchi and pressed her - or rather Ayeka's - body closely to his.  
  
Ayeka thrust her - Ryoko's - arms stiffly out at her sides, fists tightly clenched. 'How DARE you persist in coming between myself and Lord Tenchi!?' Ayeka demanded in Ryoko's powerful voice. She marched over with forceful determination.  
  
'Keep ya prissy nose out of OUR love, princess!' Ryoko/Ayeka, the latters silken voice sounding mischevious. 'Or I'll eat NOTHING but chocolate fudge cake for a month! I'll leave your body so fat and gloopy the only thing that'll make a pass at you will be a warthog! Not to mention what all that rich food will do to your skin.' She grinned evily.  
  
Ayeka/Ryoko's eyes flamed a burning green. 'How - how DARE you!!' she demanded. 'If you do that I'll - I'll stick chopsticks in your ears! I'll impale myself on your sword! I'll - I'll pour all your sake away!!'  
  
Ryoko/Ayeka's eyes saucered. 'You wouldn't DARE!!!!'  
  
'And I'll break plates over my head!!' Ayeka/Ryoko continued. 'Lots and lots of plates!!' She scurried off to the kitchen.  
  
'Now WAIT a minute, PRINCESS!' Ryoko/Ayeka's voice was a brittle shriek. Tenchi grunted as he found himself shoved into Mihoshe's arms as the pirate leaped in hot pursuit of the Jurian. 'You get BACK here!! I'll tear up all your clothes!! I MEAN it, Ayeka!!'  
  
'Lots of bottles!' Ayeka shouted.  
  
'I'll shave your head BALD!!'  
  
'I'll set FIRE to your head!'  
  
'I'll break your fingernails!! I'll ruin your manicure! I'll - HEY! GET THAT KNIFE AWAY FROM MY THROAT!!'  
  
'Oh no! PLEASE!' Mihoshe exclaimed jumping up, throwing Tenchi aside into Kiyone's arms this time. 'Please no! Let's not fight! We only just got back to normal Please stop!!'  
  
'Oh brother!' Tenchi moaned to himself. 'What IS it with those two!?'  
  
'Who knows?' Kiyone asked. She gave Tenchi a smile. 'Fancy some dessert?'  
  
* * *  
  
Across the way, Kamadake eyed the proceedings ruefully. 'You know what this is, don't you?' Azaka commented to his counterpart.  
  
'I do indeed,' Kamadake reported. 'It's another glorious day, on planet Earth.'  
  
-----  
  
CHANGING FACES: THE END.  
  
Well that's it - FINALLY!! From March 2001 to March 2003, this story has taken me almost exactly 2 years to write - which is at least a year longer than I was planning. Next time I have one of this 'brilliant' ideas for a story, someone please sit on me until the urge passes...  
  
Later! ^_^  
  
mccpcorn. 


End file.
